Smita Purushottam (IFS:19​80​) has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Switzerland. She will succeed Lokesh Mysore Kapanaiah (IFS:1977). Presently, she is Ambassador of India to Venezuela. She was appointed Ambassador to Venezuela in October 2011. She joined her post on January 19, 2012. She had previously served  in India's missions abroad as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India in Berlin, Minister (Political) at the High Commission of India, London, Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Indian Embassy in Beijing and at the Embassy in Brussels Recently , Rahul Shrivastava (IFS:1999) has been appointed as Ambassador of India to Venezuela.