Girija Shankar Bajpai Biography 
Girija Shankar Bajpai was an Indian civil servant, diplomat and Governor, who lived during the period, 3 April 1891 – 5 December 1954. He was the 1st Secretary General, Ministry of External Affairs of independent India, and he served this term for 5 years during 1947–1952. Among his 7 children, his son Uma Shankar Bajpai was also an Indian diplomat and a veteran journalist. Uma’s son Kanti Bajpai is an academician, writer and administrator is a notable international affairs analyst on Indian television, also known as an expert on Indo-China relations. Girija Shankar was known for his ethics, oratory, will power and decision making skills.
He was born in Allahabad as the son of Rai Bahadur Pandit Sir Seetla Prasad Bajpai in the year 1891. He joined Indian Civil Service in 1915. Before that he studied at University of Allahabad and Merton College, Oxford. He began his ICS career as assistant collector and magistrate in United Provinces in 1918. Three years later, he was appointed as a secretary to V. S. Srinivasa Sastri. He was appointed a Commander of CBE in 1923. Since then he has held some of the senior administrative positions under departments such as Education, Health and Lands etc.
Bajpai was a member of the British Indian delegation to the First Round Table Conference in London during 1930-1931. Very soon he was promoted to the rank of collector and magistrate. He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1935. After Indian independence, Prime Minister Nehru retained Sir Girija as his principal foreign affairs adviser. He died in office of a cerebral haemorrhage on 5 December 1954, aged 63.
Published: October 16, 2018
Updated: October 16, 2018
