Romesh Bhandari facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Romesh Bhandari
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| 13th Foreign Secretary of India | |
| In office 1 February 1985 – 31 March 1986 |
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| Prime Minister | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister | Rajiv Gandhi Bali Ram Bhagat |
| Preceded by | M. K. Rasgotra |
| Succeeded by | A. P. Venkateswaran |
| Twelfth Lieutenant Governor of Delhi | |
| In office 4 August 1988 – December 1989 |
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| Preceded by | Harkishan Lal Kapoor |
| Succeeded by | Arjan Singh |
| Third Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands | |
| In office December 1989 – 24 February 1990 |
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| Preceded by | Tirath Singh Oberoi |
| Succeeded by | Ranjit Singh Dayal |
| Seventh Governor of Tripura | |
| In office 15 August 1993 – 15 June 1995 |
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| Preceded by | K. V. Raghunatha Reddy |
| Succeeded by | Prof. Siddheswar Prasad |
| Sixth Governor of Goa | |
| In office 16 June 1995 – 18 July 1996 |
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| Preceded by | Gopala Ramanujam |
| Succeeded by | P.C. Alexander |
| Sixth Governor of Uttar Pradesh | |
| In office 19 July 1996 – 17 March 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Mohammad Shafi Qureshi |
| Succeeded by | Mohammad Shafi Qureshi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 March 1928 Lahore, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 7 September 2013 (aged 85) New Delhi, India |
| Spouse | Kumudesh Bhandari |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession | Diplomat Administrator |
Romesh Bhandari (born March 29, 1928 – died September 7, 2013) was an important Indian diplomat and administrator. He held many key positions during his career. These included being India's top diplomat, known as the Indian Foreign Secretary. He also served as a Lieutenant Governor for Delhi and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Later, he became a Governor for the states of Tripura, Goa, and Uttar Pradesh.
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Early Life and Family
Romesh Bhandari was born on March 29, 1928, in Lahore. At that time, Lahore was part of British India, in a region called Punjab Province. Today, Lahore is a city in Pakistan.
His father was Amar Nath Bhandari. He was a respected Judge in the Punjab High Court. His father was also part of the group of judges who made decisions in the famous case about the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
Romesh Bhandari's Career
Romesh Bhandari began his career in 1950. He joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), which is a group of diplomats who represent India in other countries. His first job was as a Vice-Consul in New York.
Diplomatic Roles
From 1970 to 1971, he worked as a minister in the Indian Embassy in Moscow, Russia. He then became India's ambassador to Thailand from 1971 to 1974. During this time, he also represented India at the UN Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East.
After that, he served as India's ambassador to Iraq from 1974 to 1976. He returned to India in 1977 to work in the Ministry of External Affairs. He became an Additional Secretary and then a Secretary.
On February 1, 1985, Romesh Bhandari was appointed Foreign Secretary. This is a very important role, as the Foreign Secretary is the head of India's diplomatic service. He retired from this position on March 31, 1986.
One notable event during his diplomatic career was in 1984. He helped bring back hijackers of an Indian Airlines Flight 421 from Dubai to India. This process is called Extradition, where a person is sent back to their home country to face legal action.
Serving as Governor
After his diplomatic career, Romesh Bhandari took on several important administrative roles within India. He served as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi from August 4, 1988, to December 1989. He then became the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from December 1989 to February 24, 1990.
Later, he became a Governor for different Indian states:
- He was the Governor of Tripura from August 15, 1993, to June 15, 1995.
- He served as the Governor of Goa from June 16, 1995, to July 18, 1996.
- His last role was as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh from July 19, 1996, to March 17, 1998.
During his time as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, he faced a challenging situation. He made a recommendation about the state government, which caused a big discussion at the national level. However, the central government eventually decided to keep the existing state government in place.
Personal Life
Romesh Bhandari was married to Kumudesh Bhandari. She was the daughter of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh from Patiala. The Maharaja was a member of the Phulkian dynasty.
Romesh and Kumudesh Bhandari had two children, a son and a daughter. Romesh Bhandari passed away on September 7, 2013, after being ill for some time.
