Prof. Rajendra holds a PhD in Economics, Centre for Industrial Economics, Department of Economics, University of Bombay. At the same time, he also worked on a path-breaking report on India’s Industrial Licensing Policy for the Ministry of Industrial Development, Government of India.

Prof. Rajendra Abhyankar, at the end of 36 years in the Indian Foreign Service, retired in August 2005 as India's Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg. He has been India's Ambassador to Cyprus, Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Consul General of India to San Francisco. He was also Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

He has been teaching from 2012 to 2019 at the Paul O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Bloomington, USA, and at the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University, USA. He has written a number of books on themes from international relations, the last being 'Syria, the Tragedy of a Pivotal State' published in November 2020 by Palgrave MacMillan. Apart from Indian languages, Ambassador Abhyankar speaks fluent Italian, French, Turkish and Arabic.

He joined the Indian Diplomatic Service in 1968 and retired in August 2005 as India’s Ambassador to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg. Hewas Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India from 2001 to 2004.