K. Subrahmanyam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
K. Subrahmanyam (born January, 1929) is a prominent strategic analyst, diplomat, journalist and former Indian civil servant.
Subrahmanyam was appointed the Convenor of the National Security Council Advisory Board (NSCAB) established by the first Atal Behari Vajpayee government. He was also the Chairman of the Kargil panel, a commission set up by the Indian government to analyze the Kargil War. In November 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appointed Subrahmanyam to head a task force on 'Global Strategic Developments'. The Task Force will examine various aspects of global trends in strategic affairs and is expected to submit a report within six months.
Subrahmanyam also became well known as a frequent writer in several Indian newspapers. At various times he served as consulting editor at the Business and Political Observer, The Economic Times and The Times of India. The views he articulated on India's development as a nuclear power proved both influential and extremely controversial with supporters of nuclear non-proliferation. Subrahmanyam is often credited as one of the premier ideological champions of India's nuclear development, which culminated in the 1998 Shakti nuclear tests in Pokhran. Ironically, given his reputation as a hawkish defense analyst, he was on board IC 421 on 24 August 1984 when it the plane was hijacked to Lahore, and onward to Dubai where all passengers were released without incident.
Speaking at the 40th anniversary of the founding of the IDSA on November 11, 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh singled out Subrahmanyam for his achievements. "Subrahmanyam's incisive writings continue to stimulate and contribute to the thinking of strategic analysis and policy makers in this vital area of national concern," he said. "We look forward to many more years of active contribution from this doyen of the strategic community in India."
Subrahmanyam received an M.Sc. in Chemistry from Madras University in 1950 and joined the Indian Administrative Service the next year. From 1966 to 1967 he served as a Rockefeller Fellow in Strategic Studies at the London School of Economics. Upon his return to India, he served as the Director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) until 1975. He held a number of top government positions - including Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, Home Secretary for Tamil Nadu and Secretary for Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence - before returning as Director of IDSA from 1980 to 1987. From 1987 to 1988, he returned to England as a Visiting Professor at St. John's College, Cambridge. Between 1974 and 1986, Subrahmanyam also served on a number of United Nations study groups on issues such as Indian Ocean affairs, disarmament and nuclear deterrence.
Subrahmanyam is the author or co-author of fourteen books, including The Liberation War (1972) with Mohammed Ayoob about the Bangladesh Liberation War, Nuclear Myths and Realities (1980) and Superpower Rivalry in the Indian Ocean (1989).
