Guwahati: R.D. Pradhan, a veteran bureaucrat and former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh passed away in Mumbai on Friday, July 31. He was 92.
R.D. Pradhan was an IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre who served in Gujarat, Maharashtra, at the Centre and global positions. Additionally, the prominent bureaucrat was one of the architects of drafting the peace accords in Punjab, Assam and Mizoram.
Pradhan was a confidante of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and he had served as Union Home Secretary during his tenure. Pradhan later became the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra.
During his long tenure, Pradhan served as India's Resident Representative to UNCTAD and GATT and other international assignments for over a decade, besides working in different capacities with then Union Ministers S.B. Chavan, Buta Singh, and Arun Nehru.
More recently, R.D. Pradhan headed a probe panel that examined various aspects of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks for Pakistani infiltrators.
After his retirement, Pradhan was appointed the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. Pradhan was the first to resign when the new government headed by Prime Minister V.P. Singh came to power at the Centre.
Condoling his demise on Twitter, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu wrote, "Saddened by passing away of former Governor of Arunachal Shri RD Pradhan Ji. A Padma Bhushan awardee, in his demise the country has lost a dedicated and sincere administrator. I pray for strength to his family to bear the irreparable loss. May his soul rest in peace."
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