Editing K. R. Narayanan (section)

==Early life==
K. R. Narayanan was born at Perumthanam, Uzhavoor, as the fourth of seven children of Paappiyamma (of the Punnaththuraveettil house) and Kocheril Raman [[Vaidya|Vaidyar]]<nowiki/>of the Kocheril house and a practitioner of the traditional Indian medical system of [[Ayurveda]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Damodaran |first=Ashok K. |date=30 June 1997 |title=K.R. Narayanan's sweet and dull personality make him politically most acceptable |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/profile/story/19970630-k-r-narayanan-sweet-and-dull-personality-make-him-politically-most-acceptable-830267-1997-06-29 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[India Today]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=27 October 2022 |title=രാഷ്ട്രപതി സ്ഥാനത്തെത്തിയ ആദ്യത്തെ മലയാളി മാത്രമായിരുന്നില്ല കെ.ആര്‍ നാരായണന്‍ |trans-title=K. R. Narayanan was not just the first Malayali President of India |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/in-depth/features/former-indian-president-kr-narayanan-biography-history-1.7993366 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[Mathrubhumi]] |language=Malayalam}}</ref> His siblings were Vasudevan, Neelakandan, Gowri, Bhaskaran, Bhargavi and Bharathi. His family, belonging to the [[Paravar|Paravar caste]] (whose members are involved in fishery, boat-building, sea trade<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thurston |first1=Edgar |title=Castes and Tribes of South India |chapter=Paravar |chapter-url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Castes_and_Tribes_of_Southern_India/Paravan |website=wikisource}}</ref>), was poor, but his father was respected for his medical acumen.

Narayanan had his early [[education in India|schooling]] in Uzhavoor at the Government Lower Primary School, Kurichithanam (where he enrolled on 5 May 1927) and Our Lady of Lourdes Upper Primary School, Uzhavoor (1931–35).<ref name=":1" /> He walked to school for about 15 kilometres daily through [[paddy field]]s, and was often unable to pay the modest fees. He often listened to school lessons while standing outside the classroom, having been barred from attending because tuition fees were outstanding. The family lacked money to buy books and his elder brother K. R. Neelakantan, who was confined to home as he was suffering from [[asthma]], used to borrow books from other students, copy them down, and give them to Narayanan. He matriculated from St. Mary's High School, [[Kuravilangad]] (1936–37) (he had studied at St. John's High School, [[Koothattukulam]] (1935–36) previously). He completed his intermediate at [[C. M. S. College]], Kottayam (1938–40), aided by a scholarship from the [[Travancore royal family|Travancore Royal family]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kurian |first=N. J. |date=17 December 2005 |title=K R Narayanan: Making of a President |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4417548 |journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] |volume=40 |issue=51 |pages=5386–5387 |jstor=4417548 |access-date=16 April 2024 }}</ref>

Narayanan obtained his [[Bachelor of Arts|B. A.]] (Honors) and [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] in [[English literature]] from the University of [[Travancore]] (1940–43) (present day [[University of Kerala]]), standing first in the university (thus becoming the first Dalit to obtain this degree with first class in Travancore).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Radhakrishnan |first=M. G. |date=21 November 2005 |title=KR Narayanan: An inspirational man and first Dalit President of India |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/obituary/story/20051121-kr-narayanan-an-inspirational-man-and-first-dalit-president-of-india-786568-2005-11-20 |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[India Today]]}}</ref> With his family facing grave difficulties, he left for [[Delhi]] and worked for some time as a [[Malayalam journalism|journalist]] with ''[[The Hindu]]'' and ''[[The Times of India]]'' (1944–45).<ref name=":0" /> During this time, he once interviewed [[Mahatma Gandhi]]<ref>K. R. Narayanan's interview with M. K. Gandhi, 10 April 1945; given in full in H. Y. Sharada Prasad: [http://www.iht.com/getina/files/271049.html "How an interview with Gandhi was spiked"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060223030540/http://www.iht.com/getina/files/271049.html |date=23 February 2006 }}, ''The Asian Age'', n.d. Retrieved 24 February 2006.</ref> in [[Bombay]] on his own volition (10 April 1945).

In 1944, Narayanan was awarded a Tata Scholarship of Rs. 16,000 by [[J. R. D. Tata]] to read politics, economics and journalism at the [[London School of Economics]]<ref>{{cite journal |date=June 1944 |title=Science Notes and News |url=https://www.currentscience.ac.in/Downloads/article_id_013_06_0167_0169_0.pdf |journal=Current Science |volume=13 |issue=6 |pages=168 |access-date=23 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623235214/https://www.currentscience.ac.in/Downloads/article_id_013_06_0167_0169_0.pdf |archive-date=23 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was awarded [[Bachelor of Science]] [[honours degree|honors]] in [[Economics]] with specialisation in political science from [[University of London|the University of London]].<ref>Some of his experiences as a Tata fellow are recounted here [http://www.tata.com/0_about_us/history/lasting_legacies/20040811_k_narayanan.htm].  Retrieved 24 February 2006.  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630223824/http://www.tata.com/0_about_us/history/lasting_legacies/20040811_k_narayanan.htm|date=30 June 2008}}</ref> At the LSE (1945), he studied [[political science]] under [[Harold Laski]];<ref>LSE counts K. R. Narayanan among its [http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/LSEIndia/pastAndPresent.htm distinguished alumni] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203125621/http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/LSEIndia/pastAndPresent.htm |date=3 February 2009 }}; his [http://www.lse.edu/collections/pressAndInformationOffice/newsAndEvents/archives/2000-2002/pressrelease-india.htm portrait]   has been unveiled and placed in a position of honour; B. R. Ambedkar is the only other Indian to have been similarly honoured. . Retrieved 24 February 2006.</ref> he also attended lectures by [[Karl Popper]], [[Lionel Robbins]], and [[Friedrich Hayek]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gandhi |first=Gopalkrishna |author-link=Gopalkrishna Gandhi |date=2 December 2005 |title=A remarkable life-story |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/obituary/article30207509.ece |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=Frontline}}</ref> During his years in London, he (along with fellow student [[K. N. Raj]]) was active in the India League under [[V. K. Krishna Menon]]. He was also the London correspondent of the ''Social Welfare Weekly'' published by [[K. M. Munshi]]. At the LSE he shared lodgings with K. N. Raj and [[Veerasamy Ringadoo]] (who later became the first president of Mauritius); another close friend was [[Pierre Trudeau]] (who later became [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime minister of Canada]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rana |first=Kishan S. |url=https://www.diplomacy.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Diplomacy-at-the-cutting-edge.pdf |title=Diplomacy at the cutting edge |publisher=Manas Publications |year=2016 |isbn=9788170495116 |location=New Delhi |pages=311 |chapter=Paradise Island: Mauritius (1989–92) |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=12 January 2021 |title=From the Archives (January 12, 1971): Trudeau garlands P.M. |url=https://www.thehindu.com/archives/from-the-archives-january-12-1971-trudeau-garlands-pm/article33549316.ece |url-access=subscription |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

===Diplomat and academician===

When Narayanan returned to India in 1948, Laski gave him a letter of introduction to Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]. Years later, he narrated<ref>Gopalkrishna Gandhi: {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090830200245/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20051202005812900.htm&date=fl2224%2F&prd=fline& "A remarkable life-story"]}}, ''Frontline'' '''22''' (24), 5–18 November 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2006.</ref> how he began his career in the public service:

Shri Krishna 

<blockquote>When I finished with LSE, Laski, of his own, gave me a letter of introduction for Panditji. On reaching Delhi I sought an appointment with the PM. I suppose, because I was an Indian student returning home from London, I was given a timeslot. It was here in Parliament House that he met me. We talked for a few minutes about London and things like that and I could soon see that it was time for me to leave. So, I said goodbye and as I left the room, I handed over the letter from Laski and stepped out into the great circular corridor outside. When I was halfway round, I heard the sound of someone clapping from the direction I had just come. I turned to see Panditji [Nehru] beckoning me to come back. He had opened the letter as I left his room and read it. [Nehru asked:] "Why didn't you give this to me earlier?" [and KRN replied:] "Well, sir, I am sorry. I thought it would be enough if I just handed it over while leaving." After a few more questions, he asked me to see him again and very soon I found myself entering the Indian Foreign Service.</blockquote>
In 1949, he joined the [[Indian Foreign Service]] (IFS) on Nehru's request,<ref name="pandya_int">Haresh Pandya: [https://www.theguardian.com/india/story/0,,1652976,00.html "K. R. Narayanan: Indian president from downtrodden caste"], ''[[The Guardian]]'',  29 November 2005. Retrieved 6 March 2006.</ref> and was appointed an attached' in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 18 April of that year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |page=54  |date=24 February 1951 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> He worked as a diplomat in the embassies at [[Yangon|Rangoon]], [[Tokyo]], [[London]], [[Canberra]], and [[Hanoi]]. Narayanan's diplomatic career proceeded as follows:
*Second Secretary, Indian Liaison Mission in Tokyo (appointed 19 August 1951)<ref>{{cite news |last=Narayanan |first=M. K. |date=8 September 1951 |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |url=https://egazette.gov.in/(S(d0omcrj5nt4lwjrnmxe4ohrl))/ViewPDF.aspx |access-date=16 April 2022 |work=The Gazette of India |publisher=[[Department of Publication]] |page=272}}</ref>
*Appointment in the IFS confirmed (29 July 1953)<ref>{{cite news |last=Ahuja |first=V. K. |date=3 October 1953 |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |url=https://egazette.gov.in/(S(d0omcrj5nt4lwjrnmxe4ohrl))/ViewPDF.aspx |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Gazette of India |publisher=[[Department of Publication]] |page=344}}</ref>
*First Secretary, High Commission of India to the United Kingdom (relinquished 17 December 1957)<ref>{{cite news |last=Rasgotra |first=M. |author-link=Maharaja Krishna Rasgotra |date=11 January 1958 |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |url=https://egazette.gov.in/(S(d0omcrj5nt4lwjrnmxe4ohrl))/ViewPDF.aspx |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Gazette of India |publisher=[[Department of Publication]] |page=17}}</ref>
*Deputy Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs (relinquished 11 July 1960)<ref>{{cite news |last=Singh |first=Natwar |author-link=Natwar Singh |date=23 July 1960 |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |url=https://egazette.gov.in/(S(d0omcrj5nt4lwjrnmxe4ohrl))/ViewPDF.aspx |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Gazette of India |publisher=[[Department of Publication]] |page=447}}</ref>
*First Secretary, High Commission of India to Australia, including period as Acting High Commissioner of India, Canberra (relinquished 27 September 1961)<ref>{{cite news |last=Sharma |first=K. D. |date=21 October 1961 |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |url=https://egazette.gov.in/(S(d0omcrj5nt4lwjrnmxe4ohrl))/ViewPDF.aspx |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Gazette of India |publisher=[[Department of Publication]] |page=661}}</ref>
*Consul-General of India (Hanoi), [[North Vietnam]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Sinai |first=P. L. |date=19 January 1963 |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |url=https://egazette.gov.in/(S(d0omcrj5nt4lwjrnmxe4ohrl))/ViewPDF.aspx |access-date=16 April 2024 |work=The Gazette of India |publisher=[[Department of Publication]] |page=48}}</ref>
*Ambassador to [[Thailand]] (1967–69)<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015020142348?urlappend=%3Bseq=1045%3Bownerid=13510798896005338-1345 |title=The Times of India directory and yearbook including who's who |publisher=The Times of India Press |year=1968 |location=Bombay |pages=1015|hdl=2027/mdp.39015020142348?urlappend=%3Bseq=1045 }}</ref>
*Ambassador to [[Turkey]] (1973–75)<ref>''[https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015020142587?urlappend=%3Bseq=504%3Bownerid=13510798896005475-512 The Times of India directory and yearbook including who's who]''. Bombay: The Times of India Press. 1973. p. 318.</ref>
*Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs (relinquished 1 May 1976)<ref name="amb_PRC">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 2: Ministry of External Affairs |page=967  |date=19 June 1976 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> 
*Ambassador to the [[China|People's Republic of China]] (appointed 1 May 1976)<ref name="amb_PRC" /><ref>''3[https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015020142553?urlappend=%3Bseq=990%3Bownerid=13510798896014451-1042 The Times of India directory and yearbook including who's who]''. Bombay: The Times of India Press. 1976. p. 782.</ref>

During his diplomatic career, Narayanan also taught at the [[Delhi School of Economics]] (DSE) (1954) and was Jawaharlal Nehru fellow (1970–72). He retired from the IFS in 1978.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raja |first=D. |date=27 October 2020 |title=K R Narayanan and his relevance for our times |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2020/Oct/27/k-r-narayanan-and-his-relevance-for-our-times-2215446.html |access-date=16 April 2020 |work=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref>

After his retirement, Narayanan served as the [[Vice-Chancellor]] of [[Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi|Jawaharlal Nehru University]] (JNU) in [[New Delhi]] from 3 January 1979 – 14 October 1980; he would later describe this experience as the foundation for his public life.<ref name=ptt_int>P. T. Thomas: "Interview with K. R. Narayanan", ''Maanavasamskruthi'' '''1''' (8), February 2005, in [[Malayalam]]. English translation of part of the interview, at CHRO web page: [http://www.nuke.humanrightskerala.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=5090 Part I] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003749/http://www.nuke.humanrightskerala.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=5090 |date=28 September 2007 }}; [http://www.nuke.humanrightskerala.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=5097 Part II] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012023123/http://www.nuke.humanrightskerala.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=5097 |date=12 October 2008 }}. Additional translation
of question on his relationship with the Left front in {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071126123748/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2005030308811100.htm&date=2005%2F03%2F03%2F&prd=th& "Narayanan criticises Vajpayee for Gujarat riots"]}}, ''The Hindu'', 10 November 2005. Retrieved 24 February 2006.</ref> Subsequently, he was recalled from retirement to serve as [[Indian Ambassador to the United States]] from 1980–84, under the [[Indira Gandhi]] administration.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015019997702?urlappend=%3Bseq=1227%3Bownerid=13510798896917782-1281 |title=The Times of India directory and year book including who's who |date=1983 |publisher=The Times of India Press |location=Bombay |page=917 |hdl=2027/mdp.39015019997702?urlappend=%3Bseq=1227 |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref> Narayanan's tenures as Indian ambassador to China, the first such high level Indian diplomatic posting in that country after the 1962 [[Sino-Indian War]], and to the US where he helped arrange Ms. Gandhi's landmark 1982 visit to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] during the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan presidency]] helped mend India's strained relations with both these countries.<ref>His [http://pib.myiris.com/speech/article.php3?fl=010508171719 speech] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060630093120/http://pib.myiris.com/speech/article.php3?fl=010508171719 |date=30 June 2006 }} at Peking University while on a state visit, briefly describes his vision of relations between India and China. (Retrieved 24 February 2006.) Narayanan spoke Chinese, and had a scholarly knowledge of Chinese culture and history, particularly the cultural exchanges between the two countries. His visit as President eased tensions that had developed with China after the [[Pokhran]] nuclear tests.</ref><ref>His [http://pib.myiris.com/speech/article.php3?fl=D33180 banquet speech] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060630093102/http://pib.myiris.com/speech/article.php3?fl=D33180 |date=30 June 2006 }} welcoming Bill Clinton to Rashtrapati Bhavan briefly describes his vision of relations between India and the US.  Retrieved 24 February 2006.</ref> Nehru, who had also been the Minister for External Affairs during his 16 years as PM, held that K. R. Narayanan was "the best diplomat of the country."(1955)