After voting from the United States, Thailand and South Africa because of professional commitments, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the former foreign secretary of India, cast his vote from Darjeeling, a constituency which witnessed relatively peaceful polling on Friday.

Shringla, who traces his roots to Darjeeling, cast his vote at the Deshbandhu district library near Gorkha Rangmanch Bhavan in Darjeeling on Friday.

Shringla had last cast his vote in Darjeeling in 1999.

“In 2019, I cast my vote through a postal ballot from the United States, in 2014, I did from Thailand. I voted from South Africa in 2009 and in 2004, I was again in New York,” Shringla told The Telegraph.

Shirngla said the election in India was much more vibrant compared to other countries. “Elections in India are much more vibrant than in other countries who consider themselves to be paragons of democracy. Voter turnout is far higher than in those countries,” said Shringla.

The diplomat who was until recently the chief coordinator of India’s G20 presidency urged voters to turn out in large numbers.

“The power of our one vote, the ink mark on the forefinger and the empathic tap on an EVM button is an expression of our will, our power, and our responsibility,” said Shringla. “Let’s not miss the chance to contribute to a better future. To construct a Viksit Bharat, in which every citizen inherits a brighter tomorrow.”

Shringla also heads the Darjeeling Welfare Society, which has made several impact interventions for the youths in Darjeeling like providing jobs and training apart from creating verticals for some tea garden workers.