New Delhi, July 31 - Nirupama Rao, who has served as ambassador to China and spokesperson of the foreign ministry, takes charge as India's foreign secretary Saturday.

Rao will be India's second woman foreign secretary after Chokila Iyer, who served briefly in the post in 2001.

A topper of the 1973 IFS batch, Rao became the first woman spokesperson of the external affairs ministry in 2001. In her 36-year career so far, she has served as ambassador in Peru, Sri Lanka and China and deputy chief of mission in Moscow.

Rao succeeds Shivshankar Menon, who ended his nearly three-year tenure as India's top diplomat Friday.