1 / 7In a significant victory for India at the United Nations, Indian diplomat Vidisha Maitra was elected to the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.2 / 7In the Group of Asia-Pacific States, Maitra, First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN, obtained 126 votes.3 / 7The 193-member General Assembly appoints members of the Advisory Committee. Members are selected on the basis of broad geographical representation, personal qualifications and experience.4 / 7Ms Maitra was one of two nominated candidates from the Group of Asia-Pacific States. In the group, Ali Mohammed Faeq Al-Dabag of Iraq drew 64 votes.5 / 7The Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, which deals with administrative and budgetary issues, recommended Ms Maitra to the Assembly for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2021.6 / 7The victory comes as India gets ready to sit in the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for a two-year term beginning January 2021.7 / 7India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in a video message that Ms Maitra was elected on Friday to the UN ACABQ 'in a strong display of support by UN member states'. He expressed confidence that Ms Maitra 'will bring an independent, objective and much-needed gender-balanced perspective to the functioning of ACABQ'.