Naresh Chandra

Naresh Chandra entered the Indian Administrative Service in 1956 and rose to cabinet secretary, serving from 1990 to 1992. His term covered rapid changes of government and the start of India's economic liberalization. Shyam Saran, then a colleague in the prime minister's office, later recalled Chandra's practical work in overcoming administrative obstacles to the reforms. ^{1, 2}

As ambassador in Washington from 1996 to 2001, Chandra dealt with the rupture caused by India's 1998 nuclear tests and the American sanctions that followed. Saran remembered his efforts to rally support across American political and social constituencies while maintaining a calm working atmosphere inside the embassy. ^{1, 2}

Later governments sought his advice on aviation, corporate governance, and national security. His civil aviation committee recommended privatizing Air India. As chairman of the National Security Advisory Board from 2011 to 2013, and subsequently as head of an internal security task force, he advocated coordination across government. Saran recalled his disappointment that implementation remained piecemeal. Chandra died in July 2017. ^{1, 2}