Obituaries and tributes concentrate on what we be taught by way of the lives of others. They’re, briefly, our means of constructing sense of loss, and celebrating these whose journeys contact our personal.
This tribute to ambassador PS Raghavan is, partially, the same old celebration of the life and work of a superb man, a really legendary diplomat, and his many unsung contributions to India. However it is usually a tribute not solely to the large quantity I realized about each work and life from him, but additionally –– sadly, from his private instance — his deeply painful closing days. In brief, from the way in which he ready calmly, rationally for his premature finish, Raghavan saheb additionally taught me face loss of life. And so, I’m actually beholden to him for actually a lifetime’s classes.
First, to his life. It will be a vanity to counsel simply how excellent my erstwhile senior colleague was as a diplomat, strategic analyst, and an incisive observer of the world. However it bears repeating that his evaluation was at all times correct as a result of it was primarily based on unemotional logic, and subsequently, it was at all times exact and medical. And it was glorious as a result of it was grounded in meticulous and thorough analysis. Most of all, it was sensible as a result of it was at all times scrupulously trustworthy, as he himself was, intellectually and in any other case. And that made him doubly uncommon.
Second, to his work. I used to be among the many lucky few to have labored with him whereas he was Joint Secretary (JS) to Prime Minister Vajpayee. And I noticed how no work was ever beneath him, and no element escaped his consideration — from desk plans to the drafting and framing of our nuclear command authority. He was a quiet central determine in that PMO and its international and safety coverage, helmed because it was by the late nice Brajesh Mishra. And but Raghavan saheb consciously averted the limelight.
A consummate skilled, he let his work converse for him, and it at all times spoke volumes. Such was his affect that he made the publish of JS to PM his personal, and so colleagues from that period keep in mind him as JS (R), by the mundane designation for marking him information and papers. That sobriquet caught, together with throughout his second profession within the Nationwide Safety Advisory Board, as a result of he personified that project.
Third, his way of living. Raghavan saheb had each breadth of imaginative and prescient and a focus to element to construct establishments. But, he was removed from being impersonal or Olympian. On the contrary, he had a lightweight, private contact and a wry sense of humour. He was down-to-earth and at all times approachable. He by no means sought favours for himself, however was at all times prepared to handle grievances. Presumably the best officer to occupy two of essentially the most highly effective posts within the ministry of exterior affairs’s administration, he’s remembered even at present as essentially the most approachable, most thoughtful occupant of each places of work, and the one who left an enduring legacy of institutional transparency.
A tough ask was met with “let me see what I can do”; an unfair ask solely elicited a delicate smile of remorse. He additionally created our fashionable Growth Partnership Administration, main it in each design and administration, and in defending the plan in 2011 in Cupboard – as solely a further secretary. And he labored on delivering the restructured Nationwide Safety Council Secretariat.
Many keep in mind all this and extra: That is solely the tip of the iceberg of his achievements. Colleagues will recall his legendary urge for food for work, focus, obvious disregard for relaxation, and constant cheer. A workaholic, he led from the entrance. However he at all times discovered time for the lives and households of everybody in his crew.
His dry wit was paired with a razor sharp tongue, however he was by no means unkind. Take for example his light put-down of a very peripatetic officer in Delhi who was, frustratingly, invariably overseas: He requested the officer in all seriousness when a subsequent go to to India was deliberate.
Lastly, his final lesson. During the last 10 months, following the invention of the terminal sickness that led him to logout of all social networks, I noticed one other facet of him: Detachment. In fact, he fought resolutely, making an attempt every thing science supplied. However he additionally ready dispassionately for the inevitable as soon as all healing roads ran out.
Rational to the final, he noticed no level in asserting his ordeal, not as a result of he feared the end result, however as a result of he noticed no advantage in expressions of help, or shock. At our final assembly in Bengaluru a month in the past, he mentioned: “Hope shouldn’t be a technique. I must set issues so as, for at any time when it’s that I’m gone.”
And whereas it’s distressing to think about his closing days of agony, and the affect upon his remarkably resilient spouse, Barbara, who did all she may for him, it was deeply humbling to see how he readied himself to fulfill destiny solely on his personal phrases. He did so with nice grace and wit to the top.
As I struggled to seek out the phrases to say farewell, understanding I might virtually actually by no means see him once more, I wanted him “Godspeed”. And gaunt although he was with ache, his eyes flashed with the outdated gentle and he smiled disarmingly, to say: “Ah sure, Vikram, excellent! Godspeed, is it? The place to?”
As at all times, he had the literal and figurative final phrase.
Vikram Doraiswami is high commissioner of India to the UK. The views expressed are private
