Former Defence Minister K C Pant is dead

Former Planning Commission deputy chairman and defence minister K C Pant died today following a heart attack. He was 81. Pant was defence minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government from 1987 to 1989 at a crucial time when the Indian Peace Keeping Forces were deployed in Sri Lanka as a stepping stone to the peace in the island nation.

He also served as education and science and technology minister under various governments. Pant was also the chief interlocutor for Kashmir dispute during NDA regime. As deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, (2000-2004) Pant oversaw the 10th five-year plan during the time when India achieved 8% annual GDP growth in the third-year of plan.

Meanwhile, expressing grief over the demise of K C Pant, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in his passing away the country has lost an eminent public figure and an able administrator.  Vice President Hamid Ansari said Pant’s contribution as deputy chairman of the Planning Commission in nation building will be long remembered.

Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in a statement said that K.C. Pant played an important role in giving a much needed thrust to the development process keeping in mind changing circumstances. His contribution in bringing the focus on Infrastructure Development particularly road development would be remembered for long.  Defence Minister A K Antony has also expressed profound grief at the passing away of Pant.  

After Pant was denied Lok Sabha seat by the Congress in 1989 Lok Sabha elections, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).