Who we are

D W S

About Us

Darjeeling Welfare Society (DWS) was established in May 2023 by Harsh Vardhan Shringla, former Foreign Secretary & Ambassador to USA.

The genesis of the DWS can be traced back to the period of the COVID pandemic. At that time, Shringla observed that communities in the Darjeeling area were severely affected due to a loss in livelihood and the lack of medical facilities to deal with the consequences of the pandemic. In his private capacity, Shringla arranged for some relief in the form of COVID-related equipment and support systems. He also informally extended assistance in facilitating the return of stranded Indian nationals from Darjeeling and Sikkim from the Gulf and the other locations abroad.

The profound impact that HVS has made on the lives of individuals, communities in Darjeeling and throughout the world can be seen here. DWS captures the essence of HVS’s dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to uplifting Darjeeling and its people. From establishing a monastery to bringing back stranded individuals during crises, empowering the youth, combating human trafficking, and fostering community development. DWS encapsulates the spirit of dedication, hard work, and love for the people. For the people of Darjeeling HVS is a true champion and a source of inspiration for all.

Our President

Harsh Vardhan Shringla

Harsh Vardhan Shringla is the Chief Coordinator of India’s G20 Presidency. Prior to this, he was India’s 33rd Foreign Secretary. His working life began in the private and public sectors with brief management stints at Brooke Bond India Ltd and Air India. In 1984, he qualified for the elite Indian Foreign Service after ranking 15th in the UPSC’s Combined Civil Service Examination.

In his almost four-decade long diplomatic career, he served as India’s Ambassador to the United States of America and to Thailand, and as High Commissioner of India in Bangladesh. He was also Consul General of India in Durban, South Africa and in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He has worked on all major diplomatic geographies and issues during his long and distinguished career. His focus, however, has been on India’s neigbours as head of division in the Ministry of External Affairs and later as Foreign Secretary. His experience of the neighbourhood, important in the era of ‘Neighbourhood First’ diplomacy, is extensive.

He is an experienced multilateral diplomat, having worked on two Indian tenures on the UN Security Council; having served in the Indian Mission to the UN in New York; and as Permanent Representative to UNESCAP in Bangkok. He has headed both the UN Political and SAARC Divisions in headquarters.

He has managed key economic diplomacy initiatives; worked on overseas Indian issues and with the diaspora; and coordinated major evacuation and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations such as Operations Vande Bharat, Sagar (pandemic HADR), Ganga (Ukraine), Devi Shakti (Afghanistan) and Insaniyat (Bangladesh).

During his tenure as Foreign Secretary, he dealt with some of the most pressing foreign policy issues, namely fallout of the Covid pandemic, India-China border issues at Ladakh, U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and military takeover in Myanmar. The highlights of his career include his key role in launching the ‘Sonali Adhyay’ in India-Bangladesh relations. He was co-chair of the India-Bangladesh Joint Boundary Working Group which finalized the landmark India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement. He also organized the spectacular ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump jointly addressed almost 50,000 persons, in a rare display of the vitality and public support for India-U.S ties.

He has addressed a wide range of institutions and interest groups, including think tanks, Universities and business associations in India and abroad. He has also written extensively for leading publications worldwide. He has an interest in conflict prevention, a subject on which he has pursued a course at Columbia University. He has received the JT Gibson Award for Outstanding Alumni from his school, Mayo College, and was inducted into the ‘Order of Illustrious tephanians’ by his university alma mater, St Stephen’s College. He has a D. Litt (doctorate) honoris causa from ICFAI University, Sikkim. He has an avid interest in the outdoors and in sports. He has an interest in field hockey, having played at university. He has undergone professional courses at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi and participated in several mountaineering expeditions.

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