Salil Shetty, an Indian national, will be the next Secretary-General of global human rights watchdog Amnesty International.

After having headed United Nations Millennium Campaign for six years, Shetty will now succeed Irene Khan in June 2010. Earlier, he had also served as a chief executive of international anti-poverty NGO ActionAid.

Shetty is a resident of Bangalore and an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He graduated form St Joseph's College in Bangalore and studied cost accounting at Bangalore University.

On the occasion of appointment, Salil said, "I feel privileged to be given this amazing opportunity at a time when the world needs human rights for all more than ever before,"

Peter Pack, the chair of Amnesty's International Executive Committee, said, "We are thrilled that Salil will be joining us and leading Amnesty International as we renew our fight to end injustice – campaigning with those imprisoned because of their ideas, those on death row, those being tortured, and those who have their rights denied because they live in poverty".

"As we approach our 50th anniversary, we have ambitious plans to expand our work, especially in the global south, and Salil has a solid track record in mobilising people, civil society, governments and international organizations in the fight for people’s rights and dignity. He’s absolutely the right person to take Amnesty International into the next stage of our work," added Peter Pack.