Joining Congress shortly after his return from the United Nations where he served as Under Secretary General, Tharoor won a sterling victory in the Lok Sabha polls in 2009 from Thiruvananthapuram .
He was straightaway made a Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, though it proved to be short stint as he was forced to resign amid a controversy over allegations pertaining to his role in Kochi IPL team.
Born on March 9, 1956 in London to Keralite parents Chandran Tharoor and Lily, Shashi had his education in Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and Kolkota before graduating in History from St Stephen