'Sought early retirement from government service': Sujatha Singh

Former foreign secretary Sujatha Singh, in a letter written yesterday to her IFS colleagues, said she had sought early retirement from government service.

Singh, who was replaced by S. Jaishankar in a surprise move late last night, said while individuals can and do play a critical role in building institutions, no individual is larger than the institution.

"While individuals can and do play a critical role in building institutions, I believe that no individual is larger than the institution. It can never be about individuals. It has to be about institutions and how institutions interface and coordinate with each other," she stated.

Singh, a topper of the 1976 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, said she counted the Indian Foreign Service as amongst, if not the best, in terms of professionalism, competence and sheer dedication and world view.

"I believe that civil servants are among the millions of people who work towards enabling India to deliver, who work towards enabling India to realise its enormous potential, who assist fellow Indians in realising their aspirations. Not all civil servants perhaps, but some of us certainly, and among them I count the Indian Foreign Service as amongst, if not the best in terms of professionalism, in terms of competence and in terms of sheer dedication and world view," she added.