Opinion Diplomat of his time

Jagat Singh Mehta was the outstanding Indian diplomat of his generation. He was one of the earliest to join the newly created Indian Foreign Service after Independence, a service nurtured by Jawaharlal Nehru, who never ceased to vet the new entrants.

Wartime disruption had suspended civilian recruitment, so after graduating from Allahabad, at that time the leading university of north India, and also from Cambridge University in the UK, Jagat had a short spell in the navy before competing successfully for a place in the IFS. Diplomacy proved to be his real metier ,and he rapidly established himself as a rising figure in the MEA.

Having learnt his trade in Europe, where he served in Germany and in London in the office of High Commissioner Vijayalakshmi Pandit, he was back in Delhi during the 1950s, when the challenge of China began to loom. Jagat caught Nehru’s eye, and though relatively young, was appointed to lead the official team for border negotiations with China. This was, at the time, the central concern of Indian foreign policy, and the talks were testing and prolonged. Eventually, a 10-volume report emerged and though diplomatic effort gave way to war, the Indian officials led by Jagat left an authoritative presentation of India’s case on the border.

Despite war, ties with China were not snapped. When a new chargé d’affaires was to be sent to Beijing, Jagat was the obvious choice. He was now right in the crucible and his mettle was severely tested. His performance in Beijing through difficult times added to his growing reputation. When, after the end of the Nehru era, the ministry felt the need to set up a policy planning division under a person of proven ability, Jagat was called back to Delhi to head it. Under him, this division soon became a powerhouse, his unflagging energy and understanding of complex international issues enabling him to produce a stream of papers to give structure and direction to policy. Though policy planning made a useful contribution, some of the line divisions were not comfortable with what they regarded as interference in their domain. In time, the division lost authority within the MEA and Jagat himself was shifted to what was regarded as the relatively unimportant post of Tanzania.

However, he made a big success of it, establishing close ties with the renowned President Julius Nyerere, and when the balance shifted again, he was back in Delhi, this time near the pinnacle of authority.

Once more, his mental energy and ability to take on tough tasks was to be seen. When the post of foreign secretary fell vacant, he was appointed to it by Indira Gandhi. He was now in full charge and put the stamp of his leadership on all aspects of policy, including the management of the IFS. This is where his career had been leading and it was a fulfilling and satisfying time for him. Yet, there were difficulties to be faced owing to the political uncertainty that dogged the shortlived governments of the post-Emergency period. Under Jagat’s stewardship, foreign policy was largely insulated from the uncertainties of the time and, as a principled civil servant, Jagat steadfastly served a succession of masters without compromising basic public interest. It was no easy task for him to hold the balance, as he completed his service and took final leave of the ministry that he had served so well for so long.

Jagat’s post-retirement days were busy and satisfying. The honours flooded in, fellowships, lecture opportunities at home and abroad, invitations to numerous conferences. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan and received many other awards. He became a prolific author, writing not the usual books of memoirs but thoughtful volumes about some of the most challenging policy issues of the day. Perhaps most rewarding was his leadership of the Seva Mandir in Udaipur, the social service organisation founded and nurtured by his father Mohan Singh Mehta. He was active till the end, physically frail but mentally sharp. He has left behind a family of high achievers in diverse fields who do him credit and keep alive the family legacy of achievement and professional excellence.

The writer is a former foreign secretary