Darjeeling, July 14 (Siliguri Chronicle) – Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former foreign secretary and a native of Darjeeling, has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. President Droupadi Murmu made the nomination, which many in the hills see as a positive step that could revive long-pending issues in the region — including the demand for Gorkhaland.
Unlike Darjeeling’s BJP MP Raju Bista in the Lok Sabha, Harsh Vardhan Shringla will enter the Rajya Sabha without the direct political baggage of the Gorkhaland issue.
Shringla brings with him a distinguished diplomatic career — having served as India’s ambassador to the United States and Thailand, high commissioner to Bangladesh, foreign secretary from 2020 to 2023, and chief coordinator of India’s G20 presidency in 2023.
Modi through X termed Shringla as someone who has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. “Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla Ji has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. Over the years, he’s made key contributions to India’s foreign policy and also contributed to our G20 Presidency. Glad that he’s been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President of India. His unique perspectives will greatly enrich Parliamentary proceedings,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.
Thanking Modi, Shringla stated: “I have always wanted to work in the service of the country and, even after retirement, I have never stopped my endeavours in this regard.”
A political observer from Darjeeling said Shringla’s nomination has sparked fresh hopes in the hills.
“There is little doubt that Shringla’s role will be in the diplomatic corridors but his nomination has also raised hope that there will be some focus on Darjeeling hills given his reach in the power corridors,” he said.
Shringla’s entry into Parliament as someone familiar with Darjeeling’s issues comes at a time when the BJP’s poll promises — including a “permanent political solution” and tribal status for 11 Gorkha communities — appear to have stalled.
Recent RTI replies from the Tribal Affairs Ministry regarding the demand for tribal status have offered little reason for optimism.
“There is not much enthusiasm with regard to the BJP fulfilling their poll promises in the hills at the moment. Against this backdrop, Shringla’s nomination is seen a silver lining by a section in the hills,” the observer added.
During the last Lok Sabha elections, Shringla was seen as a strong contender for the BJP ticket from Darjeeling. However, local political dynamics led the party to renominate sitting MP Raju Bista at the last minute.
Still, many of Shringla’s supporters had expected him to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha soon after.
“Even after being denied a ticket, Shringla has continued to work on other issues of Darjeeling,” said a local.
Through the Darjeeling Welfare Society, career diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla has worked to create job opportunities for local youth and address livelihood issues in closed and struggling tea gardens by fostering international collaborations. The trust, in partnership with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), has also launched a coaching centre for UPSC aspirants.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Shringla played a key role in evacuating residents from the region who were stranded overseas.
Many believe that even if addressing the core issue of “permanent political solution” and granting tribal status to the hill community might be beyond the scope of Shringla’s role in the government, there will be gains for the region.
