Who Is Kyoko Somekawa? External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's Wife

Diplomat-turned-politician S Jaishankar took oath as India's Minister of External Affairs for another term on June 9. His wife Kyoko Somekawa, or Kyoko Jaishankar as we Indians know her, has been a supportive partner throughout his illustrious career. Kyoko, of Japanese descent, met S Jaishankar when he was appointed Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo from 1996-2000. Kyoko Jaishankar and S Jaishankar share the same birthday, January 9. She is seen accompanying Jaishankar at several international galas and events, gracefully donning Indian ethnic attire. The couple shares three children. 

Most recently, the couple was seen together in May at the Europe Day celebrations in Delhi. At this event, the Union Minister expressed confidence that the partnership between India and the European Union will grow further in the times ahead. The 69-year-old noted, "As a country that chaired the G20, we very much appreciated the value and contribution that the EU and individual European states made to the G20.”

Kyoko Jaishankar's Role In G20 Summit

Kyoko Jaishankar played a pivotal role in hosting all the first spouses of G20 summit delegates during their visit to India in September. As the wife of the External Affairs Minister, Kyoko was responsible for giving the guests a scholarly and memorable experience in the country.

She first welcomed the G20 spouses to the seat of India's Green Revolution, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) campus in New Delhi. They were treated to a fresh farm-to-fork millet-based meal by chef Kunal Kapur. 

Kyoko then welcomed the guests at the National Gallery for Modern Art in New Delhi, to view an exhibition titled Roots and Routes: Past, Present, and Continuous. She presented the exhibition on the progression of Indian art and culture through history, showcasing elements such as Gandharva sculptures, specially brought from Chandigarh's Government Museum and Art Gallery, and Pahari miniature paintings. 

Kyoko Jaishankar coordinated with Indian delegates to give an insightful visit to India, to about 18 G20 spouses including UK's Akshata Murty; Japanese Prime Minister's wife, Yuko Kishida; Mauritiun Prime Minister's wife, Kobita Ramdanee, and World Bank President's wife, Ritu Banga.

In spite of being the wife of a globally renowned dignitary, Kyoko Jaishankar prefers to have a low profile in the media. S Jaishankar often shares in interviews about her Japanese influence on him and his love for her culture.