Meet Shashi Tharoor
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Shashi Tharoor, award-winning author and diplomat, speaks eloquently about international issues from the perspective of nearly 30 years at the United Nations. With a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, vast experience on the international policy scene, and a compelling and effective speaking style, Tharoor brings a thorough understanding of world policy and the people and events that shape it. Born in London, Shashi Tharoor was educated in both India and the United States, and is an authority on India's history, culture, and political climate. His most recent post is chairman of Dubai-based Afras Ventures.
A Window to World Policy. Tharoor's career at the United Nations began in 1978, when he joined the staff of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva. In 2006, Tharoor was the official candidate of India for the succession to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (coming in a close second out of seven contenders in the race).Tharoor served as the UN Under-Secretary General for communications and public information from 2002-2007. Tharoor was named a "Global Leader of Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He is the recipient of several awards, including a Commonwealth Writers' Prize, and was named to India's highest honor for nonresident Indians, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman. The Power of the Pen. Tharoor began writing at the age of six, and was published by age 10. "Freedom of the press is the mortar that binds together the bricks of democracy - and it is also the open window embedded in those bricks," declared the widely respected author and journalist in a speech at the UN's World Press Freedom Day in 2001. Tharoor has written nine books, as well as hundreds of articles, op-ed pieces, and book reviews in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Times of India. He has served for two years as a contributing editor and occasional columnist for Newsweek International. He has written a regular column in The Hindu since 2001. Tharoor's novels include The Great Indian Novel, Riot, and Show Business, which received a front-page accolade in The New York Times Book Review. All are connected by a thematic thread that address topics close to the heart of India: from a searing examination of Hindu-Muslim violence in contemporary India to India's thriving movie industry. Show Business was adapted for the big screen under the title Bollywood (1994). His five nonfiction books range from a biography of India's first prime minister to a study of Indian foreign-policy making. President Bill Clinton cited Tharoor's work in his address to the Indian Parliament. Tharoor's books have been translated into French, German, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, and Spanish. |
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Speaking Topics
The United Nations, and why it matters.
Tharoor refers to "problems without passports" and the shared concerns of the global community. He articulates the peacekeeping mission of the UN, and the accomplishments that have been made.
Terrorism of the imagination.
Tharoor discusses the existence and acceptance of multiple identities across cultures, and how the power of understanding can be a great global equalizer.
The responsibility of the media.
Tharoor focuses on the media's role on an international level, and on the responsibilities shouldered by the various branches of the press. How coverage shapes cultures' perception of each other is put under the microscope.
Bestselling Author.
Tharoor also describes his latest book, The Elephant, the Tiger, and the Cellphone, which delves into the vast changes that have recently taken place to turn India into one of the world leaders in the realms of science and technology.
India, the waking giant.
Tharoor speaks extensively about the progress of his native country of India, from its having the world's largest middle-class to its being a leader in the realms of science and technology.
Tharoor refers to "problems without passports" and the shared concerns of the global community. He articulates the peacekeeping mission of the UN, and the accomplishments that have been made.
Terrorism of the imagination.
Tharoor discusses the existence and acceptance of multiple identities across cultures, and how the power of understanding can be a great global equalizer.
The responsibility of the media.
Tharoor focuses on the media's role on an international level, and on the responsibilities shouldered by the various branches of the press. How coverage shapes cultures' perception of each other is put under the microscope.
Bestselling Author.
Tharoor also describes his latest book, The Elephant, the Tiger, and the Cellphone, which delves into the vast changes that have recently taken place to turn India into one of the world leaders in the realms of science and technology.
India, the waking giant.
Tharoor speaks extensively about the progress of his native country of India, from its having the world's largest middle-class to its being a leader in the realms of science and technology.
