Hyderabad: Senior diplomat Dr Ausaf Sayeed, who has been appointed country’s ambassador to Seychelles, on Thursday advised aspirants for civil services to explore the possibility of opting for Indian Foreign Service as it offers great opportunities in marketing the country’s name world-wide.
Speaking with the candidates at MANUU’s Civil Services Examination Coaching Academy he said that with the steady growth in India’s confidence in showcasing its success in a variety of areas the need for more number of diplomats has increased. “In the 1980s the intake into Foreign Service was only about 10 per year.
Now it has increased to about 40. The total number of officers in Foreign Service is about 700. On the other hand, out neighbour China has about 5000 diplomats working in that country and worldwide. As our economic and political clout grows we would require more numbers in the Foreign Service.
IFS could be a better option for those who are preparing for the elite all India services examinations,” he said.
Dr. Ausaf Sayeed ,who was born and studied up to Ph D in Hyderabad, joined Indian Foreign Service in 1989. After learning Arabic in Egypt, his first posting was in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he later served as the Consul General of the country in Jeddah. Before his appointment in Seychelles, he served in Chicago, the US of A, as India’s Consul General for three and half years.
“India enjoys good reputation in the world. We need to consolidate that image and improve upon it by talking about the economic progress the country has made while strengthening roots of democracy,” he said.
Ambassador Sayeed was welcomed at the University by Dr Mohammad Aslam Parvaiz, Vice Chancellor, and Dr Shakeel Ahmad, Pro Vice-Chancellor. They thanked him for taking out his precious time to inspire the students. (INN)