The new ambassador from the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore is an experienced diplomat with no prior postings in the Western Hemisphere. Set to begin his posting on July 23, 2012, Ashok Kumar Mirpuri succeeds Chan Heng Chee, who served as Singapore’s ambassador to Washington from July 1996 to June 2012.
Born December 13, 1959, Ashok Mirpuri earned a Bachelor of Social Science degree in Political Science at the National University of Singapore in 1984 and an M.A. at the University of London School of Oriental & African Studies in 1992.
Mirpuri joined the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May 1984. He served his first overseas posting as first secretary (political) at the Singapore Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 1987 to 1991. Mirpuri served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Policy Planning & Analysis Directorate I (South East Asia) from 1992 to 1996, including service asdDirector starting in 1994.
In 1997, Mirpuri was detailed to Shell International Ltd in the United Kingdom as corporate advisor for the Asia Pacific region. He returned to Jakarta to serve as minister-counselor and deputy chief of mission at the embassy from March 1998 to June 2000.
Mirpuri received his first ambassadorship in July 2000, serving as high commissioner to Australia from July 3, 2000 to June 2002, and as high commissioner to Malaysia from July 2002 to June 2006. The title “High Commissioner” is used by countries that belong to the Commonwealth of Nations, like Singapore, for its ambassadors to other Commonwealth countries. Mirpuri served as ambassador to Indonesia from July 2006 to June 2012.
Mirpuri, a keen golfer, is married to Gouri Uppal. They have a daughter and a son.
-Matt Bewig
Interview with Singapore Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri (by Sinar Harapan)
Gouri Mirpuri: More Than the Ambassador’s Wife (by Lin Neumann, Jakarta Globe)
