He is a great author, eloquent speaker, with a history of decisive leadership. Far more talented than Any other Secretary General's we ever had.
some info from his website.
Shashi is 50 years old, and has worked for the UN since 1978, the same year he received his PhD at age 22. He's a life long UN Bureaucrat, and may not have the type of independent view of the role of the UN that an outsider might bring to the position.
Born in London in 1956, Shashi Tharoor was educated in Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi (BA in History, St. Stephen's College), and the United States (he got his PhD at the age of 22 from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University).