Chinmaya Gharekhan, a distinguished member of the Indian Foreign Service, served in Egypt, the Congo, Laos, Vietnam, and former Yugoslavia. He has spent nearly a quarter century dealing with the United Nations in various capacities, first as first secretary in the Indian mission in New York, later as Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and the Specialised Agencies in Geneva, and lastly as India's Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York for over six years. He also served as advisor for foreign affairs to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He was appointed Under Secretary General in the United Nations in January 1993, first as a Senior Political Advisor and later as United Nations Special Coordinator for Occupied Territories with headquarters in Gaza. He was the Personal Representative of the Secretary General to the Security Council which provided him the unique opportunity to observe and record the working of the Security Council from both sides, delegation as well as secretariat. He has had the unique experience of having served as India's representative on the Security Council, including twice as its President as well as the Secretary General's personal representative on the Council for four years during which he had the rare opportunity to closely follow its working. He lives in New Delhi with his wife.