Prithvi Nath Dhar (P.N. Dhar, 1 March 1919 – 19 July 2012) was an Indian

economist An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...

and the head of

Indira Gandhi Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (Given name, ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and stateswoman who served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 un ...

's secretariat and one of her closest advisers.

Early life and career

P. N. Dhar was born into a

Kashmiri Pandit The Kashmiri Pandits (also known as Kashmiri Brahmins) are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. They belong to the Pancha Gauda Brahmin group from the Kashmir Valley, located within the In ...

family on 1919 to Dr. Vishnu Hakim and Radha Hakim. His wife was the singer-writer Sheila Dhar. He attended Tyndale Biscoe School in

Srinagar Srinagar (; ) is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary ...

, India, and then studied economics at the Hindu College of the

University of Delhi The Delhi University (DU, ISO 15919, ISO: ), also and officially known as the University of Delhi, is a collegiate university, collegiate research university, research Central university (India), central university located in Delhi, India. It ...

. Dhar served as principal secretary to Prime Minister

during the tumultuous days of the Emergency (1973–1977). He was one of her close advisors, who were collectively known as the "Kashmiri Mafia". He was also a professor of economics at

Delhi University The Delhi University (DU, ISO 15919, ISO: ), also and officially known as the University of Delhi, is a collegiate university, collegiate research university, research Central university (India), central university located in Delhi, India. It ...

for many years and the director and emeritus professor of the

Institute of Economic Growth The Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) is an autonomous, multidisciplinary Centre for advanced research and training. Established in 1958, its faculty of about 23 social scientists (economists, demographers and sociologists) and a large body of su ...

New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...

. He was one of the founders of the

Delhi School of Economics Delhi School of Economics (DSE), popularly referred to as D School, is an institution of higher learning within the Delhi University. The Delhi School of Economics is situated in University of Delhi's North Campus in Maurice Nagar. Establishe ...

. He served as the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

assistant secretary general, research and policy analysis, in New York from 1978 to 1986. He was awarded the Padma Vibushan, India's second highest civilian award in 2008. His memoir, ''Indira Gandhi, the Emergency, and Indian Democracy'' was published in 2000.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dhar, P. N. 1919 births 2012 deaths 20th-century Indian economists Academic staff of Delhi University Delhi University alumni Delhi School of Economics alumni Indian officials of the United Nations Kashmiri people Kashmiri Pandits Writers from Jammu and Kashmir Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in civil service 20th-century Indian biographers Indian male writers Indira Gandhi Scientists from Jammu and Kashmir Tyndale Biscoe School alumni