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Shashi Tharoor

About Shashi Tharoor

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Who is Shashi Tharoor?

Shashi Tharoor, a four-time Parliamentarian, is a prominent Congress politician and serves as a Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram constituency of Kerala.
 
Tharoor gained international attention for his participation in a debate at Oxford where he argued that Britain should pay reparations to its former colonies. He has authored numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction. He is also popular for his vast vocabulary and his use of lesser-known words that create social media trends from time to time.    
 
Early life
Born on March 9, 1956, in London to Chandran Tharoor and Sulekha Menon, Shashi Tharoor spent his childhood in India.
 
Before joining politics, Tharoor had a stint at the United Nations, where he spent nearly three decades working in various capacities. From handling key responsibilities in peace-keeping after the Cold War to serving as senior advisor to the Secretary-General and then rising to the position of Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, he evolved into a seasoned diplomat.
 
Education
He attended schools in Mumbai and Kolkata. He graduated from St Stephen's College in Delhi. He pursued higher education at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the US, where he earned a Master's degree and a PhD in International Affairs.
Political journey
In 2009, he won the Lok Sabha seat from Thiruvananthapuram, representing the Congress party, despite significant opposition from within the party's Kerala wing. He was appointed Minister of State for External Affairs in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet during the United Progressive Alliance I (UPA I) government. Tharoor was re-elected from Thiruvananthapuram in 2014. He won his third successive election from Thiruvananthapuram during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and again in 2024 after defeating his rival, the BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar by 16,077 votes.
 
Controversies
Tharoor has been involved in several controversies, including issues related to sweat equity in an Indian Premier League (IPL) team. Tharoor faced a massive controversy after his wife Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in a Delhi hotel in 2014. Four years later, in 2018, the police charged him with abetment to suicide. The three-time MP was cleared of all charges in August 2021.
 
When Pranab Mukherjee initiated an austerity drive during UPA I, the former diplomat was found staying in a 5-star hotel for weeks. On Twitter, he ruffled feathers when he said he "would travel cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows".  

Latest Updates on Shashi Tharoor

US earlier rejected the BJP's allegations that organisations funded by the US State Department and elements in the American 'deep state' were behind attempts to destabilise India

Updated On: 08 Dec 2024 | 11:08 AM IST

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also urged Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya to ensure strict implementation of laws concerning work hours

Updated On: 04 Dec 2024 | 4:03 PM IST

Bangladesh's minority Hindus, which constitute only about 8 per cent of the 170 million population, have faced over 200 attacks in 50-odd districts since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League

Updated On: 28 Nov 2024 | 3:01 PM IST

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor defended EVMs after Maharashtra Assembly elections, but raised concerns about the integrity of the 'electoral process' in the country

Updated On: 28 Nov 2024 | 2:08 PM IST

'Our government has been witnessing this nightmare for years and does nothing about it,' said Shashi Tharoor

Updated On: 19 Nov 2024 | 11:16 AM IST

In Kerala, Vijayadasami is observed as the day of Vidyarambham, the beginning of learning

Updated On: 13 Oct 2024 | 4:21 PM IST

As per the cause list of October 14 uploaded on the apex court website, a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti is slated to hear Tharoor's plea

Updated On: 12 Oct 2024 | 11:49 AM IST

Channi, who is a Dalit, and Ulaka, who hails from a tribal community, were chosen by the party with social justice being the centrepiece of all recent appointments

Updated On: 19 Sep 2024 | 10:48 AM IST

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and R Mahadevan issued notice to the Delhi government and the complainant in the case

Updated On: 10 Sep 2024 | 2:17 PM IST

He noted India's delicate balancing act in these complex relationships while asserting the country's growing role in shaping the future of the region

Updated On: 10 Sep 2024 | 11:18 AM IST

"Today, we have 101 MPs and they are reluctant to give us any important committee?" he added

Updated On: 03 Sep 2024 | 12:56 PM IST

The Hema committee, appointed by the Kerala government, highlighted issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, including unwanted physical advances even before commencing work

Updated On: 20 Aug 2024 | 5:41 PM IST

A clash occurred on Tuesday between Bangladesh Army personnel and members of the minority Hindu community protesting with posters of their family members who went missing during the violence

Updated On: 14 Aug 2024 | 8:43 AM IST

Bangladesh's interim leader Yunus on Saturday condemned attacks on minority communities in the violence-hit nation, terming them as "heinous"

Updated On: 12 Aug 2024 | 6:30 PM IST

167 people have been declared dead in the aftermath of the landslides as per the Kerala Revenue Department

Updated On: 01 Aug 2024 | 9:16 AM IST

Chief ministers from Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Punjab, Jharkhand, and Kerala will be skipping the Niti Aayog meeting

Updated On: 26 Jul 2024 | 1:40 PM IST

Union budget 2024-25: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor find Budget 2024 presentation full of missed opportunities, compared it Congress manifesto

Updated On: 23 Jul 2024 | 6:12 PM IST

It is unfortunate to single out one family and accuse them of 'parivarvaad', said Shashi Tharoor

Updated On: 18 Jun 2024 | 5:40 PM IST

Tharoor, who successfully retained his Thiruvananthapuram seat, responded to the initial post by expressing confidence in Chandrasekhar's ability to continue contributing to the country

Updated On: 10 Jun 2024 | 12:26 PM IST

Tharoor added that but for now, there are five years to serve and he is determined to do his best for the people he represents during that time

Updated On: 07 Jun 2024 | 11:27 PM IST