R. K. Dhawan

{{Short description|Indian politician}}

{{for|the Indian Navy Chief|Robin K. Dhowan}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}

{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = R. K. Dhawan

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| office = Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha

| term = 2004 – 2010

| constituency = Bihar

| predecessor =

| birth_name = Rajinder Kumar Dhawan

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1937|07|16}}{{cite web | url=https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/pre_member/1952_2003/d.pdf | title=Alphabetical List Of Former Members Of Rajya Sabha - D |publisher=Rajya Sabha| accessdate=17 February 2019 | pages=10}}{{cite web |language=en |access-date=9 August 2023 |title=Alphabetical List Of All Members Of Rajya Sabha Since 1952 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=Aug 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803144707/http://164.100.47.5/Newmembers/alphabeticallist_all_terms.aspx |url=http://164.100.47.5/Newmembers/alphabeticallist_all_terms.aspx}}

| birth_place = Chiniot, Punjab, British India
(present day Punjab, Pakistan)

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2018|08|06|1937|07|16}}

| death_place = New Delhi, India

| nationality = Indian

| spouse = {{Marriage|Achala Mohan|2012}}

| education =

| occupation = Politician

| known_for =

| awards =

|party = Indian National Congress

}}

Rajinder Kumar Dhawan (16 July 1937 – 6 August 2018) was an Indian politician who was one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and a member of the Rajya Sabha.

As personal secretary and confidant to Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, Dhawan was a witness to Indira Gandhi assassination in 1984. As personal assistant to the prime minister, he attained unparalleled power and influence particularly during India's Emergency. As the "door keeper" to the prime minister, he was well positioned to control information and access and proved himself instrumental in civil service appointments. He graduated from Punjab University, Chandigarh.{{cite web | url=https://www.newkerala.com/news/read/30771/rk-dhawan-an-indira-confidant-who-grew-from-ranks-obit.html | title=R.K. Dhawan, an Indira confidant who grew from ranks (Obit) | work=newkerala.com | date=6 August 2018 | accessdate=17 February 2019 | location=New Delhi | agency=IANS}}

The head of the investigating commission, Justice Manharlal Pranlal Thakkar, described Dhawan's responses to questioning on the assassination as unreliable and said that the needle of suspicion significantly points to his complicity or involvement.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/28/world/india-releases-stinging-report-on-gandhi-s-death.html |title=India released stinging report on Gandhi’s Death. | work=New York Times |date=28 Mar 1989 |author=Sanjoy Hazarika}} However, Indira's son, Rajiv, after initially removing Dhawan from his post, cleared him of all charges.

He was jailed during the Janata Party Government in 1977 on refusal to depose against Indira Gandhi.

He served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Urban Development Ministry in the P.V. Narasimha Rao headed Congress government from September 1995 to February 1996{{cite news |title=R.K. Dhawan, an Indira confidant who grew from ranks (Obit) |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/r-k-dhawan-an-indira-confidant-who-grew-from-ranks-obit-118080700011_1.html |access-date=14 July 2022 |work=Business Standard India |date=7 August 2018}}

Dhawan died, aged 81, in Delhi on 6 August 2018.{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rk-dhawan-passes-away-congress-delhi-5294636/ | title=Veteran Congress leader RK Dhawan dies at 81 | work=The Indian Express | date=6 August 2018 | accessdate=17 February 2019 |quote=He breathed his last at the BL Kapur hospital around 7pm}}