India Appoints Trade Envoy Hansraj Verma as Ambassador to Cuba

India’s diplomatic corps welcomes a new ambassador to Havana as Hansraj Singh Verma, an IFS officer of the 2008 batch, receives his appointment to Cuba. The decision was conveyed by the Ministry of External Affairs, noting that Verma will transition from his current role as the senior Trade Commissioner at the Indian Consulate in São Paulo.

Verma assumed the position of Consul General in São Paulo on 14 September 2024, where he has spearheaded initiatives to enhance bilateral trade between India and Brazil. Earlier, he served as the acting counselor for political and commercial affairs at the Indian Embassy in Buenos Aires.

His diplomatic tenure also includes assignments in Accra, Paris, Frankfurt, Maputo, Lisbon, and Buenos Aires, covering a wide spectrum of political, commercial, and consular responsibilities. Between 2019 and 2021, he was the Deputy Chief Protocol Officer at the MEA headquarters, overseeing passport and visa services, repatriation, United Nations engagement, and overall protocol management.

Beyond his professional life, Verma holds postgraduate qualifications in English, is passionate about Hindi poetry, and enjoys travelling. He is married to Kalpana Hansraj and is a father of two. His academic credentials feature a BSc in science and an MSc in environmental science, complemented by training at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy.