Naresh Chandra(1 August 1934 – 9 July 2017) was a 1956 batchIAS officerof Rajasthan cadre who served as theCabinet Secretary of India,Defence Secretary of India,Home Secretary of India,Water Resources Secretary of IndiaandIndian Ambassador to the United States.[1]He was awarded India's second highestcivilian honourthePadma Vibhushanforcivil servicein 2007.[2][3][4]
Naresh Chandra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Indian Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 1996–2001 | |
| President | Shankar Dayal Sharma K. R. Narayanan |
| Preceded by | Siddhartha Shankar Ray |
| Succeeded by | Lalit Mansingh |
| 13thGovernor of Gujarat | |
| In office 1 July 1995 – 1 March 1996 | |
| President | Shankar Dayal Sharma |
| Preceded by | Sarup Singh |
| Succeeded by | Krishna Pal Singh |
| 20thCabinet Secretary of India | |
| In office 11 December 1990 – 31 July 1992 | |
| President | Ramaswamy Venkataraman |
| Preceded by | V. C. Pande |
| Succeeded by | S. Rajagopal |
| Home Secretaryof India | |
| In office 21 March 1990 – 11 December 1990 | |
| 22ndDefence Secretaryof India | |
| In office 22 February 1989 – 21 March 1990 | |
| Preceded by | T.N. Sheshan |
| Succeeded by | N.N. Vohra |
| Water Resources Secretaryof India | |
| In office 1 February 1987 – 1 February 1989 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 August 1934 Allahabad,United Provinces,British India |
| Died | 9 July 2017(aged 82) Panaji,Goa,India |
| Cause of death | Multiple organ failure |
| Alma mater | Allahabad University |
| Occupation | Retired IAS officer |
| Awards | Padma Vibhushan(2007) |
Early life
editChandra was educated inAllahabadand obtained apostgraduate degree(MSc) inMathsfrom theAllahabad University.[1][5][6][7]
Career
editBefore IAS
editNaresh Chandra served as alecturerin theAllahabad Universitybefore his selection as anIAS officer.[1]
As an IAS officer
editNareshChandra served in various key capacities for both the Government of Rajasthan and the Union Government,[1][5][6][7]like as theChief SecretaryofRajasthan,Commissioner and Secretary (Finance), Secretary (Industries) and Chairman of Rajasthan Electricity Board, and as the District Magistrate and Collector ofJodhpur,JhunjhunuandBharatpurdistricts in theGovernment of Rajasthan,[1][5][6][7]and as theCabinet Secretary of India,Union Home Secretary,Union Defence Secretary,Union Water Resources Secretary,Joint Secretaryin the Department of Heavy Industries of theMinistry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises,Director in the secretariat ofThird Central Pay Commission,Deputy Secretary in the secretariat ofAdministrative Reforms Commissionand as a Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture in theUnion Government.[1][5][6][7][8]
Naresh Chandra also served as an Adviser to theGovernor of Jammu and Kashmirin 1986 for a duration of eight months.[1][5][6][7][8]Chandra also served as Adviser (Export Industrialization and Policy) for theCommonwealth SecretariatinColombo,Sri Lanka.[1][5][6][7][8]
Post his superannuation from the service as theCabinet Secretary of India,[5][6][7]Chandra was appointed a Senior Adviser in thePrime Minister's Office(PMO),[1][5][6][7]and hence was deemed to have been reemployed into theIAS.[1][5][6][7]
Chief Secretary of Rajasthan
editChandra was appointed theChief SecretaryofRajasthanby theChief Minister of Rajasthan,[1][5][6][7]he assumed the office of the Chief Secretary on 22 July 1985,[1][5][6][7]and demitted on 09 March 1986.[1][5][6][7]
Water Resources Secretary of India
editChandra was appointed theUnion Water Resources Secretaryby theAppointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC),[1][5][6][7]he assumed the office on 1 February 1987,[1][5][6][7]and demitted it on 1 February 1989,[1][5][6][7]after serving for two years.[1][5][6][7]
Defence Secretary of India
editChandra was appointed theUnion Defence Secretaryby theAppointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC),[1][5][6][7]he assumed the office of the Defence Secretary on 1 February 1989,[1][5][6][7]and demitted it on 1 March 1990.[1][5][6][7]
Home Secretary of India
editChandra was appointed theUnion Home Secretaryby theAppointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC),[1][5][6][7]he assumed the office of the Home Secretary on 1 March 1990,[1][5][6][7]and demitted it on 1 December 1990.[1][5][6][7]
Cabinet Secretary of India
editChandra was appointed theUnion Cabinet Secretaryby theAppointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC),[1][5][6][7][8]he assumed office of the Cabinet Secretary on 1 December 1990,[1][5][6][7][8]and demitted it and simultaneouslysuperannuatedfrom service on 31 July 1992.[1][5][6][7][8]
As theCabinet Secretary,Chandra was incharge and coordinator ofIndia's nuclear programme,[7][8][9][10][11]Shekhar Guptadescribed him as the "Keeper of India's family silver".[7][8][9][10][11]
After IAS
editGovernor of Gujarat
editAfter his tenure in thePMO,[8]Chandra was appointed theGovernor of Gujaratby thePresident of India,[8]he assumed the office of Governor on 1 July 1995 and demitted it on 1 March 1996.[8]
Ambassador of India to the United States of America
edit
Chandra was appointed theIndian Ambassador to the United Statesby thePrime Minister of Indiain 1996,[1][6][7][8]he was confirmed to the diplomatic position by thePresident of the United States of Americain 1996,[1][6][7][8]he remained as the Ambassador of India to the United States till 2001.[1][6][7][8]
Chandra's long official association with the United States spans more than three decades, beginning with his first visit to this country in 1963–64.[1][8][12]He has been the Indian Co-chairman of the US-India Technology Group, and Member of the Indo-US Economic Sub-Commission, which lent him valuable insight into the broad range of Indo-US relations.[1][12]Following the economic liberalisation program in India, he led the first official delegation to the US in 1992 to promote US investments in India.[1][8][12]He has been deeply involved in several important conferences organised subsequently in the US by business development groups.[1][8][12]
Post Ambassadorship
editThe government approved of setting up ofSerious Fraud Investigation Office(SFIO) on 9 January 2003, on the basis of recommendations made by the Naresh Chandra Committee which was set up by the government on 21 August 2002 on Corporate Governance. He also chaired theConfederation of Indian Industry(CII) Task Force on Corporate Governance which submitted its report in November 2009 for voluntary adoption by listed companies and wholly owned subsidiaries of listed companies in India.[13]
His work in his words
edit‘Living in interesting times’ is how I would describe my tenure here. Something or the other has always been happening. There was a lot of interaction on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty when I first arrived here. 1997 was a ‘feel good’ time – we were celebrating 50 years of Independence - there were series of functions and events – in fact we had more functions in the U.S. than in India. The major challenge came in May 1998 - dealing with the nuclear test. I remember going from one studio to another – TV, radio, and press – in addition to dozens of meetings in the Senate and the Congress. That was the most difficult and a very challenging period of my tenure here. Then began the rounds of discussions between Indian delegation, led by Jaswant Singh, and the U.S. delegation led by Talbot. I was present in every meeting and throughout. We saw the scene develop from a very tense dialogue into a very friendly and frank exchange of views. This brought about stability and progress in a positive direction in our relations with the U.S.
The Prime Minister's visit in September 1998 was also an important one. It dissipated the demonising of India that had gone on before his arrival. People saw him and heard him speak. His statement that "India and the U.S. can be natural allies in the 21st century" struck a chord in the U.S. administration. President Clinton's visit to India and then the return visit of the Indian Prime Minister put a feel on it. I witnessed a very fine chapter in the Indo-U.S. relations.
A specific instance that I will remember of my tenure, is the establishment of Gandhi Memorial - Mahatma Gandhi's statue – in front of our Chancery building in Washington DC – and the way it was accomplished against heavy odds. We were able to have it up just in time to have it dedicated by the Prime Minister of India in the presence of the president of the United States on 16 September 2000. It was a great moment – for South Asians and Americans. I also received many messages from our friends in Pakistan – and the Pakistan Ambassador congratulated me and expressed her happiness at the establishment of the statue.[14]
Death
editChandra died at a hospital inPanaji,Goa,India, ofmultiple organ failureon 9 July 2017 at the age of 82.[6][15][16]
Awards and recognition
edit- Chandra was conferred thePadma Vibhushan,India's second highestcivilian honour,forcivil service,in 2007.[2][3][4]
References
edit- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafag"Naresh Chandra".International Crisis Group.Archived fromthe originalon 12 September 2009.Retrieved23 January2010.
- ^ab"Padma Vibhushan for Nariman, Khushwant, Naresh Chandra".The Indian Express.New Delhi.26 January 2007.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^ab"Padma Vibhushan for Khushwant, Nariman".The Hindu.New Delhi.26 January 2007.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^ab"Padma Vibhushan for Fali Nariman, Khushwant Singh".Daily News and Analysis.New Delhi.26 January 2007.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy"Naresh Chandra - Executive Record Sheet".Department of Personnel and Training,Government of India.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabac"Naresh Chandra dies: The 'finest' diplomat represented India during most difficult time; know about him".The Financial Express.New Delhi.10 July 2017.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadSood, Rakesh(11 July 2017)."The man with the clues".The Hindu.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqGoswami, Omkar(11 July 2017)."Naresh Chandra: The bureaucrat who spoke the right words, and nothing more".The Economic Times.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^abGupta, Shekhar(15 July 2017)."Shekhar Gupta: Keeper of India's family silver".Business Standard.Retrieved13 January2018.
- ^abSitapati, Vinay (11 July 2017)."A Patriot And A Gentleman".The Indian Express.Retrieved13 January2018.
- ^abAgarwal, Anil(12 July 2017)."A tribute to Naresh Chandra: Our guiding light".The Economic Times.Retrieved13 January2018.
- ^abcd"Naresh Chandra".The South Asian.Archived fromthe originalon 5 March 2014.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^"Report of the Task Force on Corporate Governance"(PDF).Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.Retrieved17 November2020.
- ^"Mr. Naresh Chandra".The South Asian.Retrieved18 February2013.
- ^Kamat, Prakash (10 July 2017)."Former Indian Ambassador to US Naresh Chandra passes away in Goa".The Hindu.Panaji.Retrieved12 January2018.
- ^"Former Indian Ambassador to the US Naresh Chandra dies".Outlook.New Delhi.9 July 2017.Retrieved9 July2017.
External links
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