Hardeep Singh Puri joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974. During a distinguished career spanning 39 years, he held Ambassadorial level assignments in London and Brasilia and served as Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Geneva and New York. Ambassador Puri served as a member of India's Delegation to the GATT/United Nations in Geneva. He was the Chairman of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee. In August 2011 and November 2012, he was the President of the United Nations Security Council. Ambassador Puri currently works as senior advisor for the International Peace Institute and is member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was educated at the University of Delhi and holds a B.A. and an M.A. in History.