Shashi Tharoor, a prominent Indian politician, author, and former diplomat, hails from a distinguished family with deep roots in Kerala's Nair community. Here's an overview of his family tree:
👨👩👧👦 Immediate Family
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Father: Chandran Tharoor (1929–1993)
A career journalist, Chandran served as the group advertising manager at The Statesman newspaper, working across London, Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata), and Delhi. -
Mother: Lily Tharoor
Born in Palakkad, Kerala, Lily is known for her dynamic personality and played a pivotal role in nurturing her children's talents. -
Sisters:
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Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan
An accomplished author and poet, Shobha has also worked as a children's audiobook narrator. -
Smita Tharoor
A motivational speaker and leadership coach, Smita focuses on unconscious bias and its impact on decision-making.
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💍 Marriages and Children
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Tilottama Mukherji
Shashi Tharoor's first wife, Tilottama, is a half-Bengali, half-Kashmiri academic and the granddaughter of politician Kailash Nath Katju. They married in 1981 and had twin sons:-
Ishaan Tharoor: A journalist and foreign affairs columnist for The Washington Post.
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Kanishk Tharoor: A writer and former editor at Open Democracy, known for his short story collection Swimmer Among the Stars.
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Christa Giles
In 2007, Tharoor married Christa, a Canadian diplomat working at the United Nations. The marriage was short-lived and childless. -
Sunanda Pushkar
Tharoor married Sunanda, a Dubai-based businesswoman of Kashmiri Pandit descent, in 2010. She had a son, Shiv Menon, from a previous marriage, whom Tharoor considered his stepson. Sunanda passed away in 2014 under tragic circumstances.
🏡 Ancestral Roots
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Paternal Lineage: The Tharoor family traces its origins to the Tharoor Swaroopam, a Nair royal lineage in Palakkad, Kerala. Over time, they settled in Chittilamchery village, engaging in agriculture and landownership.
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Matrilineal Heritage: Following the Nair tradition, Tharoor's maternal lineage, the Mundarath family, holds significance. He has shared photographs celebrating five generations of Mundarath women, emphasizing the family's matrilineal heritage.
👨👩👧👦 Extended Family
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Aunt: Sobhana Sasikumar
Tharoor's aunt, Sobhana, and her husband joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019, highlighting the family's diverse political affiliations.
🎓 Early Life and Education
Born on March 9, 1956, in London, United Kingdom, to Malayali parents from Palakkad, Kerala, Tharoor returned to India at a young age. He attended Montfort School in Yercaud and Campion School in Mumbai. He pursued higher education at St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, earning a Bachelor's degree in History. Subsequently, he attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the United States, where he obtained an M.A. in International Relations, an M.A.L.D. (Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy), and a Ph.D. in International Relations by the age of 22, making him the youngest recipient of a doctorate from the institution at that time .
🌐 United Nations Career
Tharoor's nearly three-decade-long tenure at the United Nations began in 1978 with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva. He held various significant positions, including:
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Head of the UNHCR office in Singapore (1981–1984)
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Director of Communications and Special Projects in the office of the Secretary-General (1998–2001)
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Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information (2002–2007)
In 2006, India nominated Tharoor for the post of UN Secretary-General. He emerged as the runner-up to Ban Ki-moon in the selection process .
🏛️ Political Career
Transitioning to Indian politics, Tharoor joined the Indian National Congress (INC) and was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, in 2009. He has been re-elected in subsequent elections, serving multiple terms. Within the Indian government, he has held the positions of:
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Minister of State for External Affairs (2009–2010)
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Minister of State for Human Resource Development (2012–2014)
Currently, he serves as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs .Shashi Tharoor
✍️ Literary Contributions
An accomplished author, Tharoor has penned over twenty books encompassing fiction, non-fiction, and collections of essays. Notable works include:
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Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India (2017)
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Why I Am a Hindu (2018)
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The Paradoxical Prime Minister (2018)
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Ambedkar: A Life (2022)
His writings often delve into Indian history, culture, politics, and identity, reflecting his deep engagement with the nation's socio-political fabric .
🏅 Awards and Recognitions
Tharoor's contributions have been acknowledged through various awards, including:
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Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2004)
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Commonwealth Writers’ Prize
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Sahitya Akademi Award (2019) for An Era of Darkness
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Encomienda de la Real Orden Española de Carlos III from the King of Spain (2012)
He was also named a "Global Leader of Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum in 1998 .
👨👩👦 Personal Life
Tharoor has been married three times:
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Tilottama Mukherji, with whom he has twin sons, Ishaan and Kanishk.
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Christa Giles, a Canadian diplomat.
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Sunanda Pushkar, a businesswoman, who passed away in 2014.
His sons have pursued careers in journalism and writing, continuing the family's engagement with public discourse .
Shashi Tharoor's multifaceted career reflects a commitment to public service, intellectual inquiry, and cultural engagement, making him a prominent figure in contemporary Indian society. Shashi Tharoor's family encompasses a blend of academic excellence, public service, and cultural richness, reflecting the multifaceted legacy of Kerala's Nair community.
📜 Create Your Own Family Legacy!
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