P. N. Dhar

P.N. Dhar was for some time part of a powerful inner circle in India as Principal Secretary to Indira Gandhi Prime Minister's office especially during the tumultuous days of the Emergency (1973-1977); he may have had much influence in the unfolding of those events. He was also a professor of economics at Delhi University, and for many years Director of the Institute of Economic Growth.

Biography

Dhar was born in 1918 to Dr.Vishnu Hakim and Radha Hakim. His wife was the well known singer-writer Sheila Dhar. He has two sons, as well as a daughter from an earlier marriage.

He was a student of the Biscoe School in Srinagar. He then studied economics at Hindu College in Delhi.

He was involved in the founding of the Delhi School of Economics, he was the director of the Institute of Economic Growth for many years before joining the Prime Minister's Secretairiat. He also served for some time as Assistant Secretary General, Research and Policy Analysis, United Nations, New York.

He currently enjoys a retired life in new delhi. He enjoyed his 90th birthday in March 2008 and the Prime Minister made a surprise visit to his home that day. Recently he was awarded the Padma Vibushan, India's second highest civilian award.

Dhar's memoir of his days at the Simla Conference speaks of a secret understanding between Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to make Kashmir's Line of Control as permanent international border.

Books

• Indira Gandhi, the Emergency, and Indian Democracy
• The Evolution of Economic Policy of India

External links

• Book with autobiographical notes

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Name	Dhar, P.N.
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Date of birth	1918
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