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Former foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey, 90, dies at Delhi hospital
Muchkund Dubey started his career as a lecturer in economics before joining the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1957
NEW DELHI: Veteran diplomat Muchkund Dubey, who served as foreign secretary during 1990-1991, died of age-related ailments at a hospital in New Delhi on Wednesday. He was 90.
Dubey started his career as a lecturer in economics before joining the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1957. He went on to serve as the high commissioner to Bangladesh and as the permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
His octogenarian friend Manoranjan Mohanty told PTI: “He was not keeping well for the past few weeks and had been admitted at Fortis (Escorts) hospital in Delhi earlier this month. He had heart-related complications and some other health issues. Professor Dubey died at the hospital [on Wednesday] afternoon.”
Dubey is survived by his wife and two daughters, Mohanty said. His funeral will be held at Lodhi Road Crematorium on Thursday evening.
After retiring from the IFS, Dubey joined as a professor at the School of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, where he taught for nearly eight years. He also served as president of the New Delhi-based Council for Social Development (CSD) and was about to complete his fifth term in the position.
Dubey was considered an expert on international security and disarmament and also served as a professor emeritus at the Foreign Service Institute. His other areas of specialisation included international economic relations, India’s social and economic development and international development cooperation.
Born in 1933 in undivided Bihar, Dubey obtained a master’s degree in economics from Patna University and later studied economics at Oxford and New York universities. He was conferred a DLitt degree (honoris causa) by the University of Calcutta in 2014.
As an international civil servant, he served at the headquarters of the United Nations and the UNDP. He was the Indian member on the executive board of UNESCO, chairman of the Common School System Commission of Bihar, and deputy chairman of the Planning Commission of Sikkim.
Dubey also authored several books, including “India’s Foreign Policy: Coping with the changing world”.
