Dinesh K. Patnaik
Dinesh K Patnaik is an Indian civil servant who belongs to the Indian Foreign Service 1990 cadre. He was the former Ambassador of India to Cambodia, Morocco, Former Additional Secretary (IOR) and (CPV & OIA) at Ministry of External Affairs (India) and former Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, an autonomous organization of the Government of India. He played a key role in Indian soft diplomacy. Now he is designated as Ambassador of India to Spain. Personal life. Ambassador Patnaik belongs to the state of Odisha. He obtained a Master of Business Administration from Indian  Institute of Management Calcutta. He also holds a Master’s degree in Advanced International Studies from the University of Vienna and Certificate in International Studies from the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. Patnaik and his wife Poonam have two daughters. Career. He was India’s Ambassador to Morocco from sep 2015 to August 2016 and after that assumed charge as the Deputy High Commissioner of India to UK, London from Novrember 2018 to July 2019. he was Additional Secretary (IOR, CPV & OIA) from Nov 2018 to Feb 2020 anf after that he was appointed as DG ICCR from feb 2020 to  Dec 2021 before designated as Ambassador of Spain to India. Initiatives. During his tenure as Director General ICCR Patnaik started listing of Universities and Chandigarh University be the first one Listed in Indian Council for Cultural Relations. He started fresh exchange of art and culture between India and South Korea after COVID setback during his visit to Seoul. He is a good speaker and invited for JLf literature fest London 2021. He took the initiative of being vocal during the Bangladesh communal roits in October 2021 and downplay the whole incident by mentioning that this lone incident will not effect  both country relationship. He took the initiative to work on present government initiative to spread spiritualism as soft power.