Bhavika Mangalanandan from Kochi; 'Kochu' who stunned Pakistan

KOCHI: Bhavika Mangalanandan who stunned Pakistan who raised the Kashmir issue at the United Nations. Kochi's own 'Kochu'. This pride of Malayalees is India's permanent representative and First Secretary to the UN.

Bhavika (35) is the only daughter of TK Mangalanandan and KN Babyrani, retired BSNL engineers from Elamkulam, Ernakulam. Her nickname is Kochu. She took charge of the UN in February and her term is three years.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had raised the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. "There should be a referendum in Kashmir. Peace will prevail only when Article 370 is restored," Sharif said.

To this, Bhavika gave a befitting reply.

"This assembly regretfully witnessed a travesty this morning. A country run by the military with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trade and Transnational crime has had the audacity to attack the world's largest democracy.

I speak about the reference to India in the speech of the Pakistani Prime minister. As the world knows, Pakistan has long employed cross border terrorism as a weapon against its neighbours. It has attacked our Parliament, our financial Capital Mumbai, marketplaces and pilgrimage routes. The list is long. For such a country to speak about violence anywhere is hypocrisy at its worst. It is even more extraordinary for

a country with a history of rigged elections to talk about political choices, that too in a democracy. The real truth is that Pakistan covets our territory and in fact has continuously used terrorism to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, an inalienable and integral part of India. A reference has been made to some proposal of strategic restraint. There can be no compact with terrorism. In fact, Pakistan should realize that cross border terrorism against India will inevitably invite consequences. t is ridiculous that a nation that committed genocide in 1971 and which persecuted its minorities relentlessly, even now dare speak about intolerances and phobias. The world can see for itself what Pakistan really is. We are talking about a nation that for long hosted Osama Bin Laden. A country whose fingerprints are on so many terrorist incidents across the world, whose policies attract the dregs of many societies to make it their home. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that its prime minister would so speak in this hallowed hall. Yet, we must make clear how unacceptable his words are to all of us. We know that Pakistan will seek to counter the truth with more lies. Repetition will change nothing. Our stand is clear and needs no reiteration," she replied in UN. Bhavika's agility, which gained worldwide attention, went viral on social media.

The parents said they were proud of the news about their daughter. Bhavika's parents don't ask their daughter about any official matters. When asked, they don't get any answer other than laughter.

She cleared IFS in 2015and was appointed the third secretary at the Indian Embassy in Russia. She then obtained a master's degree in International Interpretation and Translation in Russia from San Francisco. She has also served as the Head of the Consulate in Belarus.

IIT M.tech holder

Bhavika was educated in Kendriya Vidyalaya and did her B.Tech in Electronics from TKM Engineering College, Kollam and M.Tech from IIT Delhi. She cleared IFS while working in a private company. Bhavika is married to Prasanth Sreenivasan, a businessman in Dubai.

Singer, writer

Bhavika has learnt music and dance. She writes stories and poems in English, Hindi and Malayalam. Bhavika had performed ganaarchana at Mookambika Mandapam before her civil services exams. She was at Guruvayur when the results came. Her mother Babyrani is a member of the executive committee of Aluva Sree Narayanagiri Sevika Samajam.