Chandra Denies Reports Of Deputys Abrupt Transfer

Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra has denied reports that Shyamala Cowsik, deputy chief of mission, has been abruptly transferred to Cyprus because of a series of diplomatic faux-pas.

We have received no orders to that effect, Chandra said, and dismissed the reports as something that might have been picked up from somewhere, I dont know.

A west coast ethnic newspaper, India-West, had quoted unnamed reliable sources in the Indian embassy to say that Cowsik, who took over from Kanwal Sibal in September 1995, is being sent to Cyprus as Indias ambassador.

It said Cowsik, who had served as ambassador to the Philippines before her posting here and has still a year and three months to go to complete her term, was being abruptly recalled because of her overconfidence and her undiplomatic remarks at times.

According to the newspaper, Cowsik, who topped her foreign service batch and served in the Washington mission in 1979 as minister, information, had felt ill-at-ease in her current role as deputy chief of mission, and as a result got into controversial situations.

It alleged that several complaints had also apparently been made against her by the locally recruited staff in the Indian embassy.

Stating that such orders are publicly issued, Chandra added: The moment orders are issued, we ourselves disclose it. We have not received any such order so far.

Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, the Number three at the embassy and minister, press, information and culture, said the story is entirely speculative and asserted that consequently no further comment is called for.

Cowsik, who is currently recuperating at her residence after major surgery, has been out of commission for the past two weeks and is expected to continue on leave for at least another week.

Chandra said: She would be rejoining duties some time next week after her leave.