Appa Sahib Pant

Appasaheb Pant (1912–1992), also known as Apa Pant, Appa Pant, Appa Sahib Pant, Appsaheb Balasaheb Pant, Parashuram-rao Pant (Parashuram being his first name), was an Indian diplomat, Prince of Aundh, Gandhian, writer and freedom fighter. A philosopher by nature and a mystic at heart, who served for over forty years as a career diplomat for the Indian Government. He served as the Indian Commissioner at various African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and the Belgian colony of the Congo and, later, as the Indian ambassador to countries like Indonesia, Norway, Egypt, United Kingdom and Italy. He also served as the Political Officer for India in the Kingdom of Sikkim. placing him among the first recipients of the award.

Biography Appa Sahib Bala Saheb Pant was born on 11 September 1912 in the Aundh, Satara capital city of princely state of Aundh in the British India, presently near Satara in the Indian state of Maharashtra, as the second son of Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, the ruler of the state. He continued his studies in London and passed Barrister at Law from Lincoln's Inn and returned to India in 1937 when the Indian freedom movement was gathering pace. a medical doctor and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1942 and the couple had three children, Aditi, Aniket and Avalokita. and as Ambassador to Indonesia (1961–64), Norway (1964–66), Egypt (1966–69), United Kingdom (1969–72) and Italy (1972–75). an international recognition honouring the entrepreneurship of spirit, He published Towards Socialist Transformation of Indian Economy (1973) A Moment in Time (1974) Mandala: An Awakening (1976) Survival of the Individual (1983) Undiplomatic Incidents (1987) An Unusual Raja – Mahatma Gandhi and the Aundh Experiment (1989) An Extended Family of Fellow Pilgrims (1990)

Awards In 1954, he was awarded with Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his contributions to the society, placing him among the first recipients of the award.