Haksar had turned down Padma Vibhusan

NEW DELHI, DEC 11: Diplomat and intellectual giant P N Haksar had turned down the offer of Padma Vibhusan, the country's second highest c...

NEW DELHI, DEC 11: Diplomat and intellectual giant P N Haksar had turned down the offer of Padma Vibhusan, the country’s second highest civilian award, during Rajiv Gandhi’s regime, Delhi’s chief minister, Sheila Dikshit, said here today.

Calling Haksar a “great son of India” and a multi-faceted personality, she said when Rajiv Gandhi approached him with the offer, Haksar said, “isme kya rakha hai (what is left in this award). I have done whatever I could do for my country.”

Addressing a function organised by the Institute for Socialist Education to pay homage to Haksar, Dikshit, a one-time Cabinet colleague of Rajiv Gandhi, said in spite of an eyesight problem in Haksar’s last days, “there was a twinkle in his eyes in concern for the country and its common people”.

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Dwelling on her intimacy with Haksar, the chief minister said the late diplomat was “a man full of humour but very serious of what he said”.

A galaxy of dignitaries, including Bangladesh High Commissioner C M Shafi Sami, Election Commissioner GVG Krishnamurthy, CPI leader A B Bardhan and former diplomat T N Kaul paid their homage to the intellectual giant, saying he truly epitomised the best values of a patriot and an upright and skilled administrator. Haksar died in the Capital on November 27.