Dnyaneshwar Mulay

Dnyaneshwar Manohar Mulay
Secretary MEA Government of India [ Ministry of External Affairs & Overseas Indian Affairs ]
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2016
Consul General of India, New York
In office April 2013 – January 2016
High Commissioner of India, Male, Maldives
In office April 2009 – March 2013
Foreign Service Advisor, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India, New Delhi
In office May 2006 – March 2009
Minister (Economic and Political), Embassy of India, Damascus, Syria
In office August 2003 – May 2006
Deputy High Commissioner, High Commission of India, Mauritius
In office July 2002 – July 2003
Director, Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), New Delhi
In office September 1998 – June 2002
First Secretary/Counselor, Economic/Commercial, Embassy of India Tokyo
In office August 1995 – September 1998
First Secretary Economic/Commercial, Embassy of India, Moscow
In office June 1992 – August 1995
Under Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, New Delhi
In office January 1989 – May 1992
Third/Second Secretary, Embassy of India, Tokyo, Japan
In office September 1984 – December 1988
Personal details
Born	(1958-11-05) 5 November 1958 India
Spouse	Sadhna Shanker
Children	A daughter and 2 sons
Alma mater	University of Mumbai Shivaji University Vidya Niketan School
Occupation	Diplomat, Author, Columnist

Dnyaneshwar Mulay – ज्ञानेश्वर मुळे (Jñānēśvar Muḷē), is an Indian career diplomat as well as a celebrated author and columnist. He currently holds office as the Secretary MEA (Ministry of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs). He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1983 and has since served in several capacities, including the Consul General of India, New York, and the High Commissioner of India, Male, Maldives. He is a successful writer and has written over 15 books, which have been translated in Arabic, Dhivehi, Urdu, Kannada and Hindi. His magnum-opus – Maati, Pankh ani Akash, written in Marathi, has received immense popularity and has also been prescribed in the Arts curriculum at the North Maharasthra University, Jalgaon (Maharashtra). He has inspired a number of socio-educational projects including Balodyan, an orphanage in his native village, and the Dnyaneshwar Mulay Education Society in Pune which seeks to introduce innovative concepts like Global Education.

Early life, education and struggles

Mulay was born in 1958, in the village of Lat, in the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. His father Manohar Krishna Mulay was a farmer and tailor while his mother Akkatai Mulay has been a homemaker. He completed his primary education in the village of Lat, at the age of 10, he left the village to join Rajarshi Shahu Chatrapati Vidyaniketan, Kolhapur, a school that was founded by the Zilla Parishad, to nurture talent from rural areas. He became the first student from rural area, to win the Jagannath Shankarsheth Award, by securing highest marks in Sanskrit at SSC exam in 1975.

He received his BA (English Literature) degree from the Shahaji Chattrapati College Kolhapur and stood first in the University for which he also won the prestigious Dhananjay Keer Award. Seeking to join the civil services, and realizing that there was a dearth of study resources and guidance in Kolhapur, he relocated to Mumbai. In Mumbai he joined the State Institute for Administrative Career, which provided him the basic facilities for his studies.

In the meantime, he studied Personnel Management at the Mumbai University, and won the Peter Alvarez medal for standing first in the University He stood first in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination in the year 1982, and succeeded in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination before being selected in the Indian foreign service.

In January 2017, the D.Y Patil University of Mumbai honoured him with Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) for his ‘exemplary contribution to society’.

Career in Indian foreign service

He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1983.Prior to that he was deputy collector in Pune. This was the beginning of his long and distinguished career in the civil services. He started his Indian Foreign Service in Japan and since then has served with distinction in Russia, Mauritius, then in Syria as the minister in the Indian embassy.

He was high commissioner of India to Male (Maldives) from April 2009 to March 2013. He is credited with taking the Indo-Maldivian relations to a new level and steering it successfully through the difficult transfer of power, in February 2012.

He was also instrumental in strengthening India- Maldives military relations including the India -Maldives- Sri Lanka cooperation in the maritime arena.He also handled the difficult situation during the two-week-long refuge of President Mohamed Nasheed in the Indian High Commission in Male').The Indian Cultural Centre in Maldives was also established with his initiative

During his diplomatic assignments he accomplished several things.In his first posting in Japan he managed the ambitious Cultural extravaganza, Festival of India, which was organised in over 20 cities of Japan over a period of one year in 1988.In Moscow he handled the business relations between India and Russia particularly the transition from state controlled (rupee ruble) trade to direct trade.He founded the Indian Business Association and was its Founder president for two years.In his second stint in Japan he looked after economic relations and paved the way for many Japanese investments in India including from Toyota Motors, NTT-Itochu, Honda Motors and YKK. In Syria he facilitated Sahitya Akademy's first M.O.U. outside India with the Arab Writers Association.In Mauritius he streamlined and expedited the Cyber Tower project and Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre,with Indian assistance.

Currently, he is the Consul General of India Consul General of India, New York, USA, from 23 April 2013. After joining the Consulate in New York he has started many initiatives of outreach to the Indian diaspora as well as the mainstream American society. The monthly lecture series Media India 2014 is popular and is helping creating new conversations on India. Similarly the events focused on Indian states called titled 'India-State by State' is also received very well. A film and Literature Club has also been established to introduce Films and Literature with Indian collection. His appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart centered on Indian general elections was widely seen.

In response to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, announced by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Mulay initiated a Swachh Consulate campaign at New York. This holistic cleansing campaign has set a model of Swachh Consulate campaign for other Indian missions abroad. Mr. Mulay has also launched Consulate At Your Doorstep, an outreach program, one of the many initiatives after he took charge as Consul General of India in New York.

Academic, media and literary work

• In the recent past he has contributed a regular column to Loksatta in Marathi titled “Badalate Vishwa – Badalata Bharat” and “Vishwachi Maze Ghar” in Sakal. These columns provide fresh perspectives and insights into various aspects of current global and national challenges and opportunities.
• In 2004–2006 he wrote a column in the Sadhana Weekly in Marathi. This column titled as 'Nokarshaiche Rang', meaning The ' Colours of Bureaucratic Ink' was later published by Sadhana Weekly in the book format. The column threw light on the working of Bureaucracy in a democratic India. From January 2012 he is writing another column titled 'Phoolonke Rangase'.
• Contributes to the Hindu newspaper’s literary pages in English.
• Contributed articles to the Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar.
• He has written several features and human-interest stories in several journals, periodicals, etc. in English, Japanese and Marathi (Sakal, Lokmat, Maharashtra Times, Antarnad, Sadhana, etc.).
• Portions from his writing was included in text books in Karnataka and Japan.
• Members of advisory boards of sahitya akademi (2008–2012)

Contribution in Marathi literature

• Nokarshahiche Rang “नोकरशाईचे रंग ” (2009) – A autobiographical book on life experiences in various places and countries.
• Gyanbachi Mekh “ग्यानबाची मेख ” (2009) Collection of Essays – A wide range of subjects covered from environment to education and tourism to social welfare.
• Translated Shri Radha “श्री राधा” (2008) – A Poetry of Ramakant Rath into Marathi
• Swatahteel Awakash “स्वताहातील अवकाश” (2006) – Marathi poetry collection brought out by Granthali, Mumbai, September 2006. These contemporary poems deal with every dimension of the world from terrorism to technology and environment to economic issues. Received the Maharashtra government "Sayaji rao Gaikwad" award for best poetry 2007 for this collection.
• Russia Navya Dishanche Amantran “रशिया – नव्या दिशांचे आमंत्रण”(2006) – A book that examines Russia after 1985 and portray new Russia based on firsthand experience in Russia during 1992–95.
• Rastach Vegala Dharala “रस्ताच वेगळा धरला” (2005) – A collection of poetry in Marathi dealing with social, political and international issues like poverty, peace, corruption, etc.
• Manoos Ani Mukkam “माणूस आणि मुक्काम” (2004) – A book of essays on Delhi, Japan, Mauritius and Damascus centring on people, places and experience.
• Door Rahila Gaon “दूर राहिला गाव” (2000) – One poem that stretches over 250 stanzas in rhyme. A faraway soul remembers the bygone years spent in his idyllic village. Sometimes melancholic, sometimes romantic, the nostalgic the poem moves in rhythmic style and yet is a very modern one in expression, style and contents.
• Maati, Pankh aani Aakash “'माती पंख आणि आकाश'” (1998) – Autobiographical novel in Marathi – A true story regarding the success of the democratic polity of post independent India. The protagonist, a boy from a small village, a first generation school-goer rapidly climbs the success ladder and joins the coveted diplomatic service. The journey of the boy brings out issues of rural urban disparity, the role of education in development, the challenge of corruption in the administration and the emergence of Indian democracy. The book won many awards including Kaushik award from Satara for best literary work of the year and is translated in Kannada and English.
• Jonaki “जोनाकी”(1984) – Collection of poetry in Marathi – Passionate poems of a young and sensitive mind trying to figure out the hidden meanings of social, political, cultural and economic happenings of the times. The growing aspirations of a new generation born in the post independence India are the highlights of the collection. Translated in Hindi in 1995.

Contribution in Hindi literature

• Ritu Ug Rahi Hai “ऋतू उग राही है” (1999) – A collection of poems in Hindi. The challenges of contemporary life brought in by disparities among nations, the technological divide, globalisation and personal dilemmas of love, and separation, communication are the central themes of the collection. A graceful, direct and new approach to poetry, breaking from the past in form and substance.
• Andar Ek Asmaan “अन्दर एक आसमान”(Urdu 2002) – A collection of poems in Urdu. The poem addresses Socio-political themes as well as dwell on technological development of our times.
• Man Ke Khalihanomein “मन की खलिहानोमें”(2005) – Hindi Poetry Collection. Pioneering poetry on themes of globalisation and individual’s response to the same.
• Subah hai ki hoti nahin “सुबाह है की होती नहीं” (2008) – A collection of poems on the Middle East situation in Hindi and Urdu.

Contribution in English literature

• Ahlan wa- Sahlan- A Syrian Journey (2006) -A book on Syria’s civilisation charm and contemporary life, written jointly and published in English, Arabic and Hindi
• A comparative study of Post World War-II Japanese and post independence Marathi Poetry (2002) – A diagnostic review of the similarities and contrast of poetry of Japan and India. The study was done as fellow of Ministry of Human Resource Development (India).

Criticism

In Nov 2012, at rally in Maldives to protest against leasing of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport to Indian infrastructure major GMR Group, Mr.Riza, a political appointee called Mr. Mulay a traitor and enemy of Maldives and Maldivian people. He also added that a diplomat's job is to work for his country and people and not to protect the interests of one private company. Later Mr.Riza denied that he made any such comments. President Mr.Waheed said that remarks made by Riza and some other government officials, did not reflect the views of the government. Later, Mr. Riza resigned from his political party (JP-Jamhoori Party) since the party had distanced formally from his utterances. Major political parties, both from ruling coalition (PPM,DRP and JP) and opposition (MDP) have either condemned the remarks or disowned them in respective press statements.

Personal life

He was married to Nalini Patel (later Indrayani Mulay) of Pune. After their divorce, he married to Sadhna Shanker, an Indian revenue service officer. He has three children Utsav, Agney and Pujya.

See also

• Indian Literature
• Indian Foreign Service
• Indo-Maldivian relations