Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday condoled the passing away of Brajesh Mishra, India’s first national security adviser (NSA).
In a message, Singh said he was “deeply saddened to hear of the passing away” of Mishra.
“Mishra was one of the most able and influential public servants of his generation. He was the first national security adviser of the country and brought to the job his breadth of strategic vision, diplomatic finesse and above all, a sense of India’s destiny and place in global affairs,” the prime minister said.
“In serving as both NSA and principal secretary to former prime minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee, Mishra displayed a grasp of administration and public affairs at the highest level that few will ever match,” he said.
Singh said he consulted Mishra on a number of occasions as prime minister and found his counsel to be insightful and free from bias.
“He always thought about what was right for the country. His forceful articulation of India’s interests won him friends and admirers in the strategic community all over the world,” he said, adding that Mishra will be remembered for his masterly handling of the aftermath of the nuclear tests in 1998 and for guiding Vajpayee’s peace initiatives in the neighbourhood.
“In the demise of Mishra, the country has lost a towering pillar of our strategic community and an outstanding diplomat and administrator,” he said.
—IANS