‘The brain behind a number of flagship initiatives’

Gopalakrishnan is survived by his wife Sudha,who earlier headed the National Manuscripts Mission under the Ministry of Culture,and two daughters,Amulya,who works for The Indian Express,and Aditi.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the death of Gopalakrishnan in a message to the family. Former principal secretary and now advisor in the PMO,T K A Nair,has gone to Kochi to deliver the Prime Minister’s letter.

“I was deeply grieved to hear of the untimely passing away of your husband,R Gopalakrishnan. Shri Gopalakrishnan served in the Prime Minister’s Office with great distinction and was the brain behind a number of flagship initiatives of the government. He had a very fertile mind and did not allow bureaucratic fetters to dull his creative instincts. I remember him for the single mindedness and the passion with which he pursued his ideas. In his demise,we have lost one of our most able civil servants. I convey my deepest sympathies and condolences to you and other members of your family,” the Prime Minister said in his message to Gopalakrishnan’s wife.

The officers and staff at the Prime Minister’s Office also sent a message mourning the death of a “wonderful friend and colleague”,official sources said.

Gopalakrishnan had earlier worked in the Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Rural Development. He also served as the mission coordinator of the Rajiv Gandhi Mission.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said he felt a personal loss since he had worked closely with Gopalakrishnan since 1987. “He was an outstanding civil servant. I have known him and worked with him since 1987,especially on Technology Mission. He distinguished himself early in his career,while implementing watershed management programme in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. Later,he made outstanding contributions in framing the education guarantee scheme in that state. He also played a key role in thinking through the National Rural Health Mission,” Ramesh said.