Jyotindra Nath Dixit

{{Short description|Indian diplomat and National security advisor (1936–2005)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Jyotindra Nath Dixit

| image = Jnd2.JPG

| alt =

| caption =

| office = 2nd National Security Advisor of India

| primeminister = Manmohan Singh

| term_start = 23 May 2004

| term_end = 3 January 2005

| predecessor = Brajesh Mishra

| successor = M. K. Narayanan

| office2 = 18th Foreign Secretary of India

| primeminister2 = P. V. Narasimha Rao

| term_start2 = 1 December 1991

| term_end2 = 31 January 1994

| predecessor2 = Muchukund Dubey

| successor2 = Krishnan Srinivasan

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1936|01|08}}

| birth_place = Madras, Madras Presidency, father Munshi Paramu Pillai

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2005|01|03|1936|01|08}}

| death_place = New Delhi, India

| nationality = Indian

| alma_mater = Zakir Hussain College
Delhi University
Jawaharlal Nehru University

| occupation = Diplomat

| spouse = Vijaya Lakshmi Sundaram

| children = 5

| parents = Munshi Paramu Pillai (father)
Retnamayi Devi (mother)

}}

Jyotindra Nath Dixit (8 January 1936 – 3 January 2005) was an Indian diplomat and an Indian Foreign Service officer, who served as the National Security Advisor of India to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and is mostly remembered for his role as a negotiator in disputes with Pakistan and China. He also served as Foreign Secretary (1991–1994), the top post in the Ministry of External Affairs.[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/j-n-dixit-489124.html J. N. Dixit: Hawkish diplomat and India's first full-time National Security Adviser]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The Independent, 5 January 2005.[https://web.archive.org/web/20050204143037/http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/05/stories/2005010505321100.htm J.N. Dixit – a tribute]. By Gopal Gandhi, The Hindu, 5 January 2005.[https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/09/obituaries/09dixit.html J. N. Dixit, 68, Dies; Served as India's Negotiator in Pakistan and China Disputes] New York Times, 9 January 2005.[http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2005-01/2005-01-03-voa10.cfm?moddate=2005-01-03 J.N. Dixit, Indian Security Adviser, Dies]{{dead link|date=April 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} VOA News, By Anjana Pasricha. New Delhi, 3 January 2005.

Early life and education

Born in Madras (present-day Chennai, India) to Malayali Nair parents, famous Malayali writer Munshi Paramu Pillai and Retnamayi Devi. He got his surname, Dixit, from his stepfather Sitaram Dixit, a freedom fighter and journalist.{{Cite web |url=http://heraldofindia.com/obituary |title=Obituary |access-date=1 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427134640/http://heraldofindia.com/obituary |archive-date=27 April 2019 |url-status=dead }}

He did his schooling in Central India, Rajasthan and Delhi. thereafter he did BA Honours Degree in Philosophy, Economics and Political Science the Zakir Husain College Delhi University(1952 Batch),[http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=56761 1952, A College Story] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613095311/http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=56761 |date=13 June 2013 }} Indian Express, 5 July 2003. then he did his Master's in international law and international relations from Delhi University, and pursued studies for Doctoral Degree at the Indian School of International Studies, now part of Jawaharlal Nehru University.{{cite news|title=JN Dixit: A brilliant diplomat, strategist|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/jn-dixitbrilliant-diplomat-strategist/201270/|access-date=16 July 2012|newspaper=Business Standard|date=4 January 2005}}

Career

File:Shri J.N. Dixit on his arrival at South Block to take charge as 'National Security Adviser' in New Delhi on May 27, 2004.jpg' in New Delhi on 27 May 2004|left]]

He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1958, and served in Vienna, Austria. He became India's Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh (1971–74) after its liberation. Subsequently, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassies in Tokyo and Washington, followed by Ambassador in Chile, Mexico (1960-1961 3rd Secretary), Japan, Australia, Afghanistan (1980–85); High Commissioner Sri Lanka (1985–89) and Pakistan (1989–91). He was Chief administrator of Indian aid in Bhutan.

He later served as the Indian Foreign Secretary from 1991 and ultimately retired from Government service in 1994. He was also a representative of India to the United Nations, UNIDO, UNESCO, ILO and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). He was a member of the first National Security Advisory Board. He was also the author of several books. He was the High Commissioner in Colombo in 1987 when India signed an accord with Sri Lanka government and deployed of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to the Tamil area in the island nation at the height of ethnic crisis.

He succeeded to the post of the National Security Advisor in 2004.[http://www.financialexpress.com/news/jn-dixit-is-nsa/106590/ JN Dixit Is NSA] Financial Express, 27 May 2004. His columns on international and regional affairs, appeared regularly in various publications including Outlook and Indian Express.[http://www.expressindia.com/news/columnists/jndixit/index.html Columnists] He remained a visiting lecturer at many educational institutions.[http://www.financialexpress.com/news/jn-dixit-no-more/123553/ JN Dixit no more] Financial Express, 4 January 2005.

Personal life and death

J N Dixit, died in harness as the National Security Advisor on 3 January 2005, in New Delhi, after suffering a heart attack. He was married to Vijaya Lakshmi Dixit (née Sundaram) and had five children, Ashok Dixit married to Mandakini Dixit (née Haldipurkar), Rahul Dixit married to Rupa Dixit (née Thakkar), Aabha Dixit married V. B Anand Dhavle, Dipa Dixit married to Rajiv Shakdher and the late Dhruv Dixit, who died in 2002. His grandchildren are Sanghamitra Dixit, Sumiran and Sagiri Dixit, Jaidev and Abhishek Dhavle and Vasudhaa Shakdher. He married a second time. He was the first National Security Advisor who died in office.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121025044559/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-01-03/india/27853439_1_high-commissioner-jn-dixit-foreign-secretary National Security Advisor JN Dixit passes away] The Times of India, 3 January 2005.[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?226924 EXCLUSIVE PMO: 'They Killed Him...':Close friends say an ugly tug-of-war within the PMO put a huge strain on the late J.N. Dixit that he couldn't withstand] Outlook, 28 March 2005.

Awards and honours

India's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, was posthumously conferred on J N Dixit in 2005.{{cite news|title=Padma Vibhushan for J.N. Dixit, R.K. Laxman|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/26/stories/2005012609050100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207104016/http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/26/stories/2005012609050100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 February 2005|access-date=3 October 2012|newspaper=The Hindu|date=26 January 2005}}

Works

Self in Autumn, 1982 (collection of poems)
Anatomy of a Flawed Inheritance: A Survey of Indo–Pak Relations 1970–94, Konark Publishers, 1995
My South Block Years, UBS publishers
Assignment Colombo, Konark Publishers, 1997.
Across Borders: Fifty Years of India's Foreign Policy, PICUS Publishers. 1998.
Liberation and Beyond: Indo-Bangladesh Relations 1971–99, Konark Publishers. 1999.
An Afghom: Diary-Zahir Shah to Taliban, Konark Publishers, 2000.
Indian Foreign Policies and its Neighbours, Gyan Books, New Delhi, 2001. {{ISBN|81-212-0726-6}}.
India’s Foreign Policy—challenge Of Terrorism Fashioning Interstate Equations, by Gyan Books, 2003. {{ISBN|81-212-0785-1}}
External Affairs. Roli Books, 2003. {{ISBN|81-7436-264-9}}.
Indian Foreign Service: History And Challenge. Konark Publishers, 2005. {{ISBN|81-220-0694-9}}.

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20091030140024/http://2fwww.indianembassy.org/JN%20Dixit/1.htm J.N. Dixit, Official biography] Indian Embassy
[http://www.outlookindia.com/peoplefnl.aspx?pid=4516&author=J.N.%20Dixit J. N. Dixit Columns] at Outlook
[https://books.google.com/books?id=MrBi0ghiZN0C&pg=PA91 A Mission in Jaffna & the Memories of War-Torn Jaffna]

{{s-ttl|title = High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka|years = 1985–1989}}

{{s-ttl|title = High Commissioner of India to Pakistan|years = 1989–1991}}