Former UP Governor Romesh Bhandari passes away

NEW DELHI: Former UP Governor and ex-foreign secretary Romesh Bhandari died here last night after a prolonged illness.

He was 85. Bhandari is survived by his wife and daughter. Family sources said he was suffering from pancreatic cancer and was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon for the last three weeks.

Condoling his death, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit described him as an "able administrator".

Bhandari had served as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi apart from serving as the governor of Tripura and Goa.

He was made the governor of UP in July 1996 when the state was under President's rule. He was the foreign secretary between 1985-86.

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had appointed him as the chairman of Congress party foreign cell in AICC after his retirement.

Born on March 29, 1928 in Lahore, he had joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1950 as the Vice-Consul at the consulate in New York.