Mohammad Hamid Ansari is new NCM Chairman

New Delhi, Mar 17 (UNI) Former diplomat Mohammad Hamid Ansari has taken over as Chairman of the recently reconstituted National Commission for Minorities.

Lama Chosphel Zotpa, former vice-chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and Supreme Court advocate Harcharan Singh Josh are the other two members of the Commission, the government said today.

Mr Ansari had served as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, High Commissioner to Australia and Ambassador to UAE, Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He was Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University between 2000 and 2002.

Before assuming his present position, Mr Ansari was a member of the National Security Advisory Board.

Mr Zotpa is present of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association in the national capital.

The tenure of the new Commission will be three years, the government said.

UNI FZ VD DS1445