Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has extended his heartiest congratulations and best wishes to senior diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik on his appointment as India’s next High Commissioner to Canada.
Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Spain and is expected to take up his new role shortly.
In his tweet, CM Majhi expressed his confidence that Patnaik will further elevate the pride and glory of both Odisha and India in this important role.
In a brief statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said, “Dinesh K. Patnaik, presently Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Canada. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.”
Who is Dinesh Patnaik?
A seasoned diplomat, the 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer has over 25 years of experience in assignments within India and abroad. Patnaik has served in the missions in Geneva, Dhaka, Beijing, and Vienna, and in the divisions focusing on Africa, Europe (West), the UN, and external publicity in the external affairs ministry, the Hindustan Times reported.
Patnaik has also served as director-general of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. The senior diplomat has also served as ambassador in Cambodia and Morocco. Patnaik has also served in the UK as deputy high commissioner between 2016 and 2018. In the UK, the senior diplomat was required to handle the Khalistan problem within the Indian diaspora, and a similar challenge awaits the diplomat in Canada.