Author of 'Slumdog Millionaire', now India's Foreign Office Spokesperson

He hit jackpot when his book 'Q&A,' was made into the Oscar winning blockbuster 'Slumdog Millionaire.' An Oscar winning novel, and a few more books later, author Vikas Swarup — a 1986 batch Indian Foreign Service officer — will continue to remain in the limelight in a new role -- as the next foreign ministry spokesperson.

Starting mid-April, Swarup will succeed Syed Akbaruddin, who will be the chief coordinator for the India-Africa Summit to be held here in October, which is expected to be attended by more than 40 heads of states or governments. After the summit, which was postponed in December following the Ebola outbreak, Akbaruddin will head for an ambassadorial posting.

A ccording to the Economic Times, official sources have said that the file regarding Swarup's appointment was issued on Wednesday, ending speculation about who would succeed Akbaruddin.
Swarup has maintained a low profile as joint secretary (United Nations-Political), handling India's role in the UN amid its ambitions to enter the Security Council as a permanent member, sources said. Swarup was involved in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first outing at the UN General Assembly and Sushma Swaraj's maiden foray at the global body as foreign minister last year.

Swarup published his debut novel 'Q&A' in 2005, which director Dan Boyle made into a movie three years later. The novel has been translated into 43 languages.

It was shortlisted for the Best First Book by the Commonwealth Writers and won South Africa's Exclusive Books Boeke Prize 2006 as well as the Prix Grand Public at the 2007 Paris Book Fair. It was also voted winner of the Best Travel Read (Fiction) at the Heathrow Travel Product Award 2009.
His second novel, 'Six Suspects,' was released in 2008, loosely based on the Jessica Lal murder case. In 2013, Swarup's third novel, 'The Accidental Apprentice,' was released. Swarup is also a short-story writer and has written for Time, Newsweek, Guardian and Daily Telegraph.

Beginning his career with a posting in Turkey, Swarup has served in Indian diplomatic missions in Washington, Addis Ababa, London, Pretoria (as deputy high commissioner) and as Consul General in Osaka-Kobe in Japan, before returning to New Delhi in 2013. He also has experience of the neighbourhood as during 2003-06, Swarup dealt with Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan, besides handling the office of the foreign minister.

Akbaruddin leaves behind big shoes to fill. As MEA spokesperson, he was the only one of his tribe who held weekly briefings, was available 24x7 and made optimum use of social media