Braj Kumar Nehru

Sir Braj Kumar Nehru MBE, ICS (4 September 1909 – 31 October 2001) was an Indian diplomat and Ambassador of India to the United States (1961–1968).[2] He was the son of Brijlal Nehru and Rameshwari Nehru and nephew of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Braj Kumar Nehru
Nehru with US President John F. Kennedy at the White House, 1961
Indian Ambassador to the United States
In office
1961–1968
Preceded byM.C. Chagla
Succeeded byAli Yavar Jung
Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
In office
1973–1977
Preceded byApa Pant
Succeeded byNarayan Ganesh Gore
Governor of Jammu and Kashmir
In office
22 Feb 1981-26 Apr 1984
Preceded byLakshmi Kant Jha
Succeeded byJagmohan
Personal details
Born(1909-09-04)4 September 1909
Allahabad, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India
Died31 October 2001(2001-10-31) (aged 92)
Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, India
Spouse(s)
Shobha ("Fori") Nehru (née Magdolna Friedman)
​
​
(m. 1935)​
[1]
ChildrenAshok Nehru, Aditya Nehru, and Anil Nehru
Alma materOxford London School of Economics

Personal life

Nehru was born in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India and was son of Brijlal Nehru and Rameshwari Nehru[3] He was educated at the Allahabad University (India), the London School of Economics and at Oxford University.[4] He was awarded the Doctor of Literature degree by the University of Punjab, for his distinguished services in various fields.[5] His grandfather, Pandit Nandlal Nehru, was the elder brother of Pandit Motilal Nehru.[6] He was the cousin to the erstwhile Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi (née Nehru).[7] In 1935, Nehru married Magdolna Friedman (5 December 1908, Budapest, Austria-Hungary - 25 April 2017, Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, India), a fellow student in the UK who was of an Austrian Jewish background.[1] The ill-treatment of the Jewish community in Europe prompted her father to change her name to Magdolna Forbath. Her nickname was Fori. After marriage, she changed her name to Shobha Nehru.[8] He had three sons named Ashok Nehru, Aditya Nehru and Anil Nehru.

Career

National
Ambassador Braj Nehru stands behind US president John F. Kennedy during Kennedy's speech welcoming Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to the United States (1961)

He joined the Indian Civil Service in 1934 and rose to be governor of seven different states of India. From 1934 to 1937 he held various government positions in the province of Punjab.[3] Nehru became the secretary of economic affairs in 1957.[9] He was appointed as Commissioner General for Economic Affairs (external financial relations)of India in 1958.[3] He was Governor of Jammu and Kashmir (1981–84), Assam (1968–73),[10] Gujarat (1984–86), Nagaland (1968–73), Meghalaya (1970–73), Manipur (1972–73) and Tripura (1972–73). He was transferred overnight as the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir to Gujarat after he refused to help Indira Gandhi in destabilising the Farooq Abdullah government.[11]

International

Nehru worked as Executive Director in the World Bank (1949) and was Economic Minister at the Indian Embassy in Washington (1954).[3] He helped to create the Aid India Club in 1958, which was a consortium of donor nations that committed to donate $2 million for the development of India.[7] He also served as a diplomat, as ambassador to several countries and was offered the post of secretary-general of the United Nations in 1951, but declined. Nehru was also the Indian High Commissioner in London from 1973 to 1977.[7] Braj was chairman of the United Nations Investment committee for 14 years.[4] He represented India in the 'Sterlings balances' negotiations with Britain at the post-Second World War reparations conference.[12]

Writer

Nehru wrote an autobiography titled Nice Guys Finish Second.[13] Mr. Ramesh Kumar Saxena, who worked for him for 35 years, helped writing his biography.

Awards

He was appointed an MBE in the 1945 New Year Honours.[14] He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1999.[15]

The speech "Civil Service in Transition" delivered at the India International Center in New Delhi on 15 October 1999 describes the need and the role played by a strong civil service. It also details out the causes for the prevalent corruption in India's political system and civil services.

Death

Nehru died in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, India on 31 October 2001 at the age of 92. His body was cremated in Delhi & the memorial service was held amongst the chanting of mantras from the holy scriptures.[16]

References
  1. Sharma, Ashwani (27 April 2017). "Kasauli loses its oldest resident, Jawaharlal Nehru cousin's wife". The Indian Express. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  2. "Braj Kumar Nehru, India's Ambassador to US & UK". highbeam.com. 13 November 2001. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  3. "Governors of Gujarat: details of the life sketch of B.K. Nehru". Rajbhavan (Govt of India). Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  4. "Braj Kumar Nehru". Scotsman.com. 2 January 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  5. chandigarh (31 October 2001). "B.K. Nehru Dead". tribune.com. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  6. "Community: Prominent Kashmiri's". KECSS (Regd). Archived from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  7. Lewis, Paul (9 November 2001). "B.K.Nehru, 92, Indian envoy & cousin of Indian Prime minister". New York Times (nytimes.com). Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  8. chauhan, swaraaj (1 January 2011). "India's Fori Nehru, the oldest jewish woman alive". themoderatevoice.com. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  9. "B K Nehru dead". The Times of India. 1 October 2001. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  10. Jammu & Kashmir state Govt, Government of India. "Welcome to Rajbhavan, Jammu & Kashmir". jkrajbhavan.nic.in. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  11. http://www.rediff.com/news/may/03nehru.htm
  12. "Braj Kumar Nehru". scotsman.com. 5 January 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  13. "Living A Full Life". Outlook. 26 March 1997. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  14. London Gazette, 1 January 1945
  15. "14 get Padma Vibhushan; B.K. Nehru, Chidambaram, Lata in list". The Tribune. 26 January 1999. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  16. "Memorial service for B.K. Nehru held". The Tribune. 4 November 2001. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
Political offices
Preceded by
M.C. Chagla		 Indian Ambassador to the United States
1961–1968		 Succeeded by
Ali Yavar Jung
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