Leela Ponappa appointed Deputy NSA

New Delhi, Apr 19 (UNI) Ms Leela Ponappa, a senior Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been appointed Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) and Secretary, National Security Council Secretariat, for a period of two years.

The positions were approved by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet, officials said here today.

A 1970 batch IFS officer, Ms Ponappa retired in June after serving as an ambassador to 'The Hague'. She is the first woman Deputy National Security Advisor of the UPA government.

Ms Ponappa, an additional secretary in the External Affairs Ministry, also served as India's Ambassador to the Netherlands.

She was Joint Secretary in the MEA in charge of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

UNI