Former bureaucrat Ashok Chandra, ex-chairman of Ganga Ram trust society, dead

Former bureaucrat Ashok Chandra, who played a key role in shaping policies across different Central ministries and also served as an advisor to the governor of Uttar Pradesh in the early 1990s, has died.

Former bureaucrat Ashok Chandra, who played a key role in shaping policies across different Central ministries and also served as an advisor to the governor of Uttar Pradesh in the early 1990s, has died. He was 86.

A senior official of the Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where he breathed his last on Friday, said the hospital and its staff deeply mourn his passing away.

''Ashok Chandra, a respected public servant and dedicated philanthropist and the erstwhile chairman of the Sir Ganga Ram Trust Society (2012-2022) passed away peacefully on Friday, October 13, at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. His family was with him at his bedside,'' according to a statement issued by the hospital authorities.

He began his illustrious career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1959 after completing postgraduate studies in Mathematics at the Allahabad University, the statement said.

Chandra held pivotal positions in Uttar Pradesh, significantly contributing to the industrial development and water resource management as a secretary in the department of industries and as chairman of the state Jal Nigam, it said.

At the national level, he played a pivotal role in shaping critical policies and programmes across various central ministries. He also served as an advisor to the Governor of Uttar Pradesh during the challenging times of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, the statement said.

His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of public servants and philanthropists, it added.