An old head on young shoulders

Devanand Sharma is the new Ambassador to Israel

Devanand Sh arma is hi s country's younges t Ambassador.

And, no, he is not representing ludia. He is unique in more ways than that.

He has recently been desigua[ed Australia's nexr Ambassador t o Israel. Yes, be is a true-blue, dinkydi, ridgy-didge A ussie. And if 1.hat means he i s half Indian, well, welcome ro the new, really, really multicul tural Australia.

Devanand, or Dave as he is known, is ju st 37 When l fuse heard that, I said "\Y./ow".

A nd I thought: you @%*"#*! overachiever.

The world is at his feet and barring a disaster, he s hould certainly b e heading The Australian Departmenc of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAl) before he mrns 50, surely!?

Ao extremely rare fact: Dave is probably o nly the second A ustralian of Indian descent to represent Australia as an Ambassador.

In case you are curious as to who was the first, 1 believe i t must be Peter Varghese who was Australia's Ambassador to ludia betwee n 2009 and 2012, before he was promoted and made the head honcho o f Australia's diplomatic service - the DFAT. He still beads it. Varghese was born in Kenya to Malayali parents and has been one of Australia's mosL distinguished and seni or civil servants.

Dave Sharma holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arcs from die University of Cambridge an d a Master of Arts in International Relations from Deakin U niversity. He is a senio r career officer with the DFATand was most recently Assistant Secretary in tl1e Africa Branch, a nd previously, Acting First Assistant Secretary, International Divi sion in the Department of Prime Jv[inister and Cabinet.

Sharma's prior international service includes postings as Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Washington, Third Sec retary at the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby and as Senior Civilian Adviser with the Peace Monitoring Group in Bougain viJle Sharma was also an Adviser to Foreign Minister Alexander Dow ner from 20042006. His father originally hails from U ctar Pradesh, d10ugh they subsequently settled in T rinidad and Tobago, and his m o ther's fanuly is from Sydney and Dave grew up in Sydney bm rema in s in close touch wit!, d1e Indian side of his family.

Sharma \vil] be accompanied to Israel by his wif e Rachel and tl1eir three young daughters.

Clearly his yo ung age i s the first thing that strikes one about Dave. (By comparison, the average age of an Ambassador or High Commi ssio ner that India appoints, is generally in the 50s). Bm he himsel.f is nonchalant abom it.

He says wid1out hes itation, "My appointment proves that Australia is a meri.cocracy and even the highest positions are available to aJJ co mers".

"Th e younge r generation should certainly look at opportunities i n public life and in the public service," he adds. "Th ough there are only a handful or so of Australians of Indian orig in in tl1e ranks of DFAT, their nw11bers are certainly growing in d,e junior ranks"

Australia has been a strong supporter of the State of Israel. since i rs establishment, and was o n e o f [h e fuse co untries to grant offic ial recognition and co establish dip lomatic relations

The Australian E m bassy in Israel opened in 1949

Australia and I srael enjoy a significant trade relationship worm more man $900 million a year. Australian exports to Israe l include coal, meat and aluminium, with impo rts including gems, manufactured items and telecommunications equipment.

So, it is an important posting, and the Australian Gover nment would have made it after due consideration abom d1e merits of various candidates.

Questions have forever been raised about the influence of the strong Israel lobby wi tl1i.n Canberra (and Washington/London), so the new Australian Ambassador may have to walk a tightrope and be prepared to teli his h osts mings they do not want to hear on the Palestine problem which has defied a solution for over 60 years

Australia recognises that Israel's long- term security requires a comprehensive, durable l'vfiddle

Ease peace settlement. Australi a supports a negotiated two -state sol ution, witl1 an independenc, viable Palestinian Sta[e al.ongside a secure Israel.

Bm in fact, the superior lobbying skiJls of Israel and the Australian je\vish cornnmnity has ensured that Israel has had a robust inpm in the decisions this country has made.

This i s something that eludes tl1e Indian community - even tl1ough it is four ti.mes bigger!