Abid Hussain

Born: 26 December 1926

Died: 21 June 2012

• He was an Indian economist, civil servant, and diplomat.
• He was India’s ambassador to the United States of America from 1990 to 1992 and a member of the Planning Commission from 1985 to 1990.
• He served as India’s ambassador to the United States of America from 1990 to 1992.
• He also served as secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Heavy Industry as a member of the Indian Administrative Service.
• He was a Member of India’s Planning Commission from 1985 to 1990.
• As India’s ambassador to the US and one of several prominent Muslim-Indian leaders, He was a staunch defender of Israel and the Jewish people, who actively sought to convince Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao that Israel would give the country a superior edge over Pakistan and that an alliance with the Jewish state was indispensable to India’s long-term interests.
• He was honored in 1988 with the Padma Bhushan (awarded to recognize distinguished service of a high order to the nation) and has been at the forefront of India’s economic and trade reforms since the 1980s.
• He chaired six important committees set up by the Government of India covering Trade Policy Reforms; Project Exports; CSIR Review Committee for Development of Science and Technology; Textile Policy of the Government of India; Development of Capital Market; and Small Scale Industry.
• Of these, the Abid Hussain Committee Report on Trade Policy Reform and the Abid Hussain Committee Report on Small Scale Industries have been regarded as milestones in India’s economic reforms.

Click here for more details