Har Mander Singh

Har Mander Singh (1926–2020) was an Indian administrator, diplomat, and a recipient of the Padma Shri in 1960. He played a pivotal role in the Dalai Lama’s safe passage into India in 1959 and served in various key positions in governance.

Early life Har Mander Singh was born on 26 June 1926, in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, to Piara Singh.

Career

Early career Singh began his professional journey as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army (1946–1953). Har Mander Singh played a key role in coordinating the Dalai Lama's safe passage into India. His detailed diary entries on the operation were later compiled in the book An Officer and His Holiness by his niece, Rani Singh. The book includes interviews with the Dalai Lama, his brother Tenzin Choegyal, and others involved in the event. - During this tenure, he initiated efforts to promote tourism and oversaw the first official contact with the Jarawas. He also facilitated the settlement of Nicobarese in Little Andaman, creating a new habitat for migrating Nicobarese families in an area later named Harmander Bay in his honour. Director of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific under International Social Security Association (March 1985 to December 1995)

Personal life Har Mander Singh was married to Narinder Kaur, and the couple had two sons and one daughter. In 2017, at age 91, he co-signed an open letter with 64 other retired senior officials, advocating for the preservation of democratic values and governance in India.

Death Har Mander Singh died in 2020.