Who is Bhavika Mangalanandan, Indian Diplomat Who Schooled Pak PM Over Kashmir Rhetoric at UNGA?

New Delhi:  Indian diplomat Bhavika Mangalanandan delivered a blistering response to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday while exercising the country's Right to Reply at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Launching a scathing attack on Pakistan PM for raking up the issue of Jammu & Kashmir in his address at the General Debate of the 79th session of the UNGA, Bhavika Mangalanandan described his address as “hypocrisy at its worst”. At the UNGA, the Indian diplomat called out the military-run nation, Pakistan , for attacking India, world's largest democracy. 

"A country run by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trade, and transnational crime, has the audacity to attack the world's largest democracy... The truth is that Pakistan covets our territory and has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India..." said Mangalanandan, India's First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations. The official for the post of First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations is selected by the Government of India. 

Who is Bhavika Mangalanandan?

• Bhavika Mangalanandan is an Indian diplomat who is serving as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
• Mangalanandan is a 2015 batch IFS officer.
• She has also worked at the Ministry of External Affairs as an Under Secretary.
• According to her LinkedIn bio, Mangalanandan received Masters degree in Energy Studies from Indian Institutes of Technology, Delhi ( IIT -Delhi) in the year 2011.  
• She currently serves as the first secretary of counter-terrorism and cyber security, 1st Committee (Disarmament and International Security), GA coordination, India at UN (Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York).
• She has also worked a senior engineer marketing at Schneider Electric from June 2011 to October 2012.
• Prior to that, she also served Tata Consultancy Services as an assistant systems engineer from November 2007 to June 2009 according to her LinkedIn bio.

Her sharp response came after Pakistan PM Sharif raked up the isse of Jammu and Kashmir at the UNGA on Friday. During his 20-minute-long address, Sharif asked India to reverse the scrapping of Article 370 to “secure durable peace.” He also suggested India to enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the “wishes of the Kashmiri people.”

While replying Mangalanandan said the country with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics, trade and transnational crime, has had the “audacity to attack the world's largest democracy”.

In her speech, she accused Pakistan of attempting to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir is an "inalienable and integral part of India."

"It is even more extraordinary for a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices, that too in a democracy. The real truth is that Pakistan covets our territory. And in fact, has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India," she added.

"It is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecutes its minorities relentlessly even now dare speak about intolerance and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is."

She lambasted Pakistan for hosting Osama Bin Laden and playing a significant role in carrying out terror activities across the world, including in India.

"We are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama Bin Laden. A country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world. Whose policies attract the dregs of many societies to make it their home. Perhaps, it should come as no surprise that its Prime Minister would so speak in this hallowed hall. Yet, we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us."

She concluded her speech by saying that India's stance over the issues is clear and that it needs no needs no reiteration and repeated claims by Pakistan will not bear any fruit.

"We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration. Thank you, Mr. President," she further said.