Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri, born in 1952, is a distinguished former UN official and Indian diplomat. With 28 years in the Indian Foreign Service, she served as India’s Ambassador to Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Transitioning to the United Nations, Puri contributed significantly, becoming the deputy executive director of UN Women. Recognized for her human rights work, she received awards like the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights. Married to Hardeep Singh Puri, a prominent Indian politician, she balances family life with her impactful career. Puri is also a published author, contributing to reports and research papers in her field.