Durga Prasad Dhar Biography 
Durga Prasad Dhar was a prominent politician and diplomat from Kashmir. Served as a minister in the Kashmir and Delhi, he also served as an Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union between 1969 and 1971, and from 1975 till his death in 1975 aged 56. Throughout his professional and political career, he stood as a confidant and a top policy aide of Indira Gandhi, former President of India. A great diplomat he was instrumental in finalizing the 1972 Indo-Bangladesh treaty of peace, friendship and co-operation. It’s regarded as one of his most outstanding contributions which earned him appreciation from Bangladesh government too.
He was also honoured by Bangladesh government in 2012 by conferring him Liberation War Friendship Honour posthumously for his “special role” in the country’s 1971 ‘Liberation War.’ Dhar was the Chairman of Policy Planning in the Indian External Affairs Ministry when he played his crucial role for the liberation of Bangladesh. The award was received by his son Vijay Dhar on behalf of his father from Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman in Bangladesh. D.P. Dhar Hall at Embassy of India in Moscow is named in his honour.
Shortly called D.P. Dhar, Durga Prasad Dhar was born on 10 May 1918 in Kashmir. After graduation from Panjab University, he took LLB from the University of Lucknow. He was associated with Quit Kashmir movement in the pre-independent India in 1946 and was actively involved with state politics. He was appointed as the Home Secretary and then the Deputy Home Minister of Kashmir in 1948 by Sheikh Abdullah, who became Prime Minister of Kashmir following partition. He later became a member of state legislature followed by Rajya Sabha, where he held several portfolios. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 too, he played a pivot role.
Published: N/A
Updated: March 27, 2016
