Shashi Tharoor Biography, Know About His Early Life, Age, Political and Literacy Career

Shashi Tharoor is a well-known Indian politician, writer, public speaker and former diplomat. Born on 9 March 1956, he is known for his deep knowledge, eloquent speeches and powerful writings on Indian history, politics and culture. A senior leader in the Indian National Congress (INC), he has been a Member of Parliament (MP) from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, since 2009.

Shashi Tharoor – Early Life and Education

Shashi Tharoor was born in London to a Malayali Nair family from Kerala. His parents returned to India when he was just 2 years old. He studied at Montfort School in Yercaud and later at Campion School in Mumbai.

He completed his graduation in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, where he was active in student politics and even started the quiz club. Later, he went to the U.S. and earned his Master’s, M.A.L.D. and Ph.D. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. At just 22, he became the youngest Ph.D. holder in the school’s history.

Diplomatic Career at the United States

Tharoor joined the United Nations in 1978 and served there for 29 years.

• Refugee Work: He began at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and helped Vietnamese and Polish refugees.
• Peacekeeping: In the 1900s, he was involved in peacekeeping efforts in war-torn Yugoslavia.
• Top UN Role: In 2001, he became the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, the highest-ranking Indian in the UN at the time.
• UN Secretary-General Race: In 2006, he was India’s official candidate for UN Secretary-General but came second to Ban ki-moon.

He resigned from the UN in 2007.

Political Career of Shashi Tharoor

In 2009, Tharoor joined the Indian National Congress and contested the Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram. Despite criticism as an ”outsider,” he won with a large margin.

In Government

• Minister of State for External Affairs (2009-2010): Handled Africa, Latin America and the Gulf region. Also focused on Hajj and passport services.
• Minister of State for Human Resource Development (2012-2014): Focused on higher education and adult literacy.

Tharoor was known for bringing a modern, tech-savvy approach to Indian politics, using Twitter to connect with the public.

In Opposition

Since 2014, Tharoor has served as an MP in the opposition and held significant parliamentary positions, including:

• Chairman of Parliamentary Committtee on External Affairs
• Chairman of Committee on Communications and Information Technology.

He has represented India globally, even under governments led by other parties, such as the Modi-led NDA. In 2025, he led India’s diplomatic delegation during ”Operation Sindoor” to address cross-border terrorism.

Literacy Career of Shashi Tharoor

Shashi Tharoor is a prolific author and has written over two dozen books. His writing style combines wit, deep analysis and rich vocabulary. His books include:

Fiction

• The Great Indian Novel
• Riot
• Show Business

Non-Fiction Highlights

• India: From Midnight to the Millennium
• An Era of Darkness/ Inglorious Empire
• Why I am a Hindu
• The Paradoxical Prime Minister
• The Battle of Belonging
• Ambedkar: A Life
• A Wonderland of Words (2024)

His Oxford Union speech on colonial reparations went viral and inspired his bestselling book An Era of Darkness.

Personal Life of Shashi Tharoor

• Married three times: to Tilottama Mukherji (2 sons), Christa Giles and Sunanda Pushkar (who passed away in 2014).
• His sons, Ishaan and Kanishk, are successful writers.
• Tharoor is a vegetarian, a devout Hindu and fluent in Malayalam.

Awards and Honors

• Sahitya Akademi Award (2019)
• Global Leader of Tomorrow by World Economic Forum
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2004)
• Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (France, 2022)
• Commander of the Order of Charles III (Spain, 2012)

Philanthropy and Public Engagement

• Participated in Swachh Bharat Mission.
• Advisor to India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (I.I.M.U.N.)
• Active in disaster relief and education advocacy.