R. K. Dhawan

For the Indian Navy Chief, see Robin K. Dhowan.

R. K. Dhawan
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
2004 – 2010
ConstituencyBihar
Personal details
Born
Rajinder Kumar Dhawan

(1937-07-16)16 July 1937[1][2]
Chiniot, Punjab, British India
(present day Punjab, Pakistan)
Died6 August 2018(2018-08-06) (aged 81)
New Delhi, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
Spouse
Achala Mohan
​
(m. 2012)​
OccupationPolitician

Rajinder Kumar Dhawan (16 July 1937 – 6 August 2018) was an Indian politician who was one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress and a member of the Rajya Sabha.

As personal secretary and confidant to Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, Dhawan was a witness to Indira Gandhi assassination in 1984. As personal assistant to the prime minister, he attained unparalleled power and influence particularly during India's Emergency. As the "door keeper" to the prime minister, he was well positioned to control information and access and proved himself instrumental in civil service appointments. He graduated from Punjab University, Chandigarh.[3]

The head of the investigating commission, Justice Manharlal Pranlal Thakkar, described Dhawan's responses to questioning on the assassination as unreliable and said that the needle of suspicion significantly points to his complicity or involvement.[4] However, Indira's son, Rajiv, after initially removing Dhawan from his post, cleared him of all charges.

He was jailed during the Janata Party Government in 1977 on refusal to depose against Indira Gandhi.[5]

He served as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Urban Development Ministry in the P.V. Narasimha Rao headed Congress government from September 1995 to February 1996[5]

Dhawan died, aged 81, in Delhi on 6 August 2018.[6]

  1. ^ "Alphabetical List Of Former Members Of Rajya Sabha - D" (PDF). Rajya Sabha. p. 10. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Alphabetical List Of All Members Of Rajya Sabha Since 1952". Archived from the original on 3 August 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "R.K. Dhawan, an Indira confidant who grew from ranks (Obit)". newkerala.com. New Delhi. IANS. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  4. ^ Sanjoy Hazarika (28 March 1989). "India released stinging report on Gandhi's Death". New York Times.
  5. ^ a b "R.K. Dhawan, an Indira confidant who grew from ranks (Obit)". Business Standard India. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Veteran Congress leader RK Dhawan dies at 81". The Indian Express. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019. He breathed his last at the BL Kapur hospital around 7pm