Canada's new high commissioner to India Nadir Patel is an India-Canadian, one who was born in Gujarat and speaks Gujarati at home. His parents migrated from Gujarat to Canada when he was rather young. The 44-year-old Patel is the first Canadian of Indian-origin to occupy the high post. He presented his credentials to Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on January 17. Patel has considerable diplomatic and administrative experience.
Speaking about his new role, Patel said: "I look forward to working with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government to further expand ties between Canada and India. "There are several areas where collaboration is already strong, and there is scope for even greater cooperation to enhance our mutual prosperity, security and people-to-people ties."
Prior to his arrival in India, Patel served as Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer for Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. Before that, he held a series of high-level government positions, including Chief of Staff to the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, Senior Policy Advisor to the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, and Canada’s Chief Air Negotiator. From 2009 to 2011, Patel was Canada’s Consul General in Shanghai, China. Patel served on the Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre, a Canadian Crown Corporation that supports research and innovation in developing countries to promote sustained growth and development. He also served on the Ottawa Advisory Board of Wilfrid Laurier University’s School of Business and Economics, and is a Founding Board member of Suits his Style, an Ottawa based not-for-profit organization supporting employment opportunities by providing professional attire for men in need.
Among other distinctions, Patel was selected in 2012 by Canada’s Embassy newspaper as one of the top 80 most influential Canadians shaping Canada’s foreign policy, an honour he received again in 2014 from the Power and Influence magazine (top 100). In January 2011, he was profiled by Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper as one of “45 Canadians Changing the World”. He was also selected by India Abroad in its inaugural 2008 list of the top 40 most influential Canadians of Indian descent.
Patel holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from New York University’s Stern School of Business, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the HEC Paris School of Management.
