Vikas Swarup takes over as spokesperson in MEA 

Senior diplomat Vikas Swarup,a 1986 batch IFS officer, whose debut novel was made into the Oscar-winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire”, on Saturday assumed charge as Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry.Swarup succeeded Syed Akbaruddin, who has been promoted as Additional Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry and will also be the Chief Coordinator for the India-Africa Summit in October. Both Akbaruddin and Swarup had accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his three-nation tour and returned on Saturday.