Remembering P.N. Haksar on his Birth Centenary

P.N. Haksar’s birth centenary fell on September 4 this year. It was marked by a meeting at the Auditorium of New Delhi’s Nehru Memorial Musuem and Libary on the same day, organised by the Director of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Haksar’s elder daughter, Nandita. When Haksar passed away in the Capital on November 27, 1998, it was written in this journal’s December 5, 1998 issue:

 “Parmeshwar Narain Haksar (September 4, 1913-November 27, 1998), eminent administrator and diplomat, was educated at Sadhuram Municipal High School, Katni (MP); University of Allahabad; University College, London; London School of Economics; and was called to the Bar from Lincoln‘s Inn. He studied Physics, Mathematics, Anthropology and Law.

“He became a diplomat in independent India under the inspiration of Jawaharlal Nehru and served in Lagos, Vienna and London as well as New York and Geneva in different capacities. Thereafter he was Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat (May 1967-September 1971); Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister (December 1971-January 1973); Member, Atomic Energy and Space Commission (1967-1977); and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission (1975-1977).

“Haksar played a pivotal role during the Bangladesh crisis (1971) and helped Indira Gandhi to ensure Bangladesh’s liberation by generous support to the freedom fighters of that country. He was India’s Chief Negotiator at Shimla, Delhi and Dhaka and substantially contributed to the evolution of the Shimla Agreement (1972).

“He was also the Chairman, Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta; Director, Press Trust of India; Member, National Integration Council; and Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Among the honours that he received were the Kasturi Ranga Award (1981), Soviet Land Nehru Award (1987) and Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration (1989).

“Haksar authored several books, including Premonitions, Reflections of Our Times, Problems of Foreign Policy, One More Life (autobiography) and A Basket of Fallen Leaves. He edited the journal, Man and Development. Mainstream, with which he had close affinity in view of his lifelong friendship with Nikhil Chakravartty (who was two months younger to him and predeceased him precisely by five months), deeply mourns the demise of this giant intellectual and ardent patriot and conveys its heartfelt condolences to his daughters, Anamika and Nandita.”

Remembering him on this occasion, we are reproducing the following Convocation Address he delivered at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar in 1976. It appeared in his book, Premonitions: Imperatives of Change (Interpress, Bombay), and was reproduced in Mainstream (August 11, 1984) with an introduction wherein it was stated: “On August 15, as the nation celebrates the thirtyseventh anniversary of independence, it is assailed with misgivings and premonitions about the threats to its integrity and security. A nation, aware of its historical identity and engaged in acheiving unity among its people by uplifting both their material conditions and intellectual attainments, can generate the consciousness about its internal strength and rightful position in the complex world of today. Towards the realisation of such an understanding of the essential unity of the people in the midst of the many-splendoured diversity in this country, P.N. Haksar delivered the Convocation Address at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar eight years ago....” An article by Nandita Haksar on her father, written on this occasion, is also being published here.