Mohammad Hamid Ansari is an Indian politician and retired Foreign service officer who was the 12th Chairman of Rajya Sabha and 12th Vice President of India from 2007 to 2017. Ansari joined the IFS in 1961. In a diplomatic career spanning 38 years, he served as the Indian ambassador to Australia, Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. He also served as the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations between 1993 and 1995. He was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University from 2000 to 2002. Later, he was Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities from 2006 to 2007.