Dr Amit Telang is India’s new High Commissioner to Guyana

Dr Amit Shivkumar Telang has been appointed the new Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, and will be assuming this position shortly. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the External Affairs Ministry of India.
The diplomat currently serves as the Consul General of India in Frankfurt, Germany. On social media, he shared, “After a fulfilling three-year stint in Germany, it will be a privilege to represent my country in Guyana – a country and people with whom we have historical links and warm and friendly relations.”
Dr Telang graduated and earned his Master’s degree from Government Medical College in Nagpur, and briefly served as a Medical Officer and as a Lecturer before joining Government Service in 2004 – first in the Indian Revenue Service, and later the Indian Foreign Service in 2005.

He previously served as Head of the Political Wing in the Indian Embassy in Berlin, and subsequently as Head of the Economic and Commercial Wing of the Indian Embassy in Moscow, Russia. At the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, he has served in the External Publicity Division, Administration Division, and East Asia Division. His interests include classical music and reading, especially philosophy and world history. He speaks English and German.
Dr Amit Shivkumar Telang replaces Dr K J Srinivasa, who wrapped up his stint as Indian High Commissioner in Guyana last month. Under the leadership of Dr Srinivasa, Guyana and India have not only deepened ties, but the diplomat also played an important part in introducing practices such as yoga to the Guyanese populace, and has also fostered greater collaboration in the areas of trade.
Guyana and India have partnered in many projects, and in recent years, India has been providing both technical and financial support to Guyana. One major aspect of collaboration between the two countries is that of education. Of the 6000 annual Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships, more than 4500 are at Indian universities. The Asian country had also provided training for members of the local Police and Defence Forces.
In April, the India-Guyana Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) was formed, thus paving the way for the facilitation of trade, investment and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The new organisation is an initiative between Guyana’s Private Sector and that of India through the impetus of the Indian High Commission.
At a business roundtable attended by Indian External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, former West Indies cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan was named the President of the newly established IGCC, which would pave the way for partnerships to be built through culture and commerce to serve the two nations through advocacy, economic development, connectivity, business, and education.
A Joint Business Council between the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Private Sector Commission was also announced at that time.
Moving forward, there have been talks to have an annual India-Caricom Summit to facilitate exchanges and capacity building with the entire Region by extension. (G12)