Vishnu Sahay

Indian politician (1901–1989)

Vishnu Sahay

Governor of Assam
In office
7 September 1962 – 17 April 1968
President| Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Zakir Husain
Chief Minister| Bimala Prasad Chaliha
Preceded by| S. M. Shrinagesh
Succeeded by| Braj Kumar Nehru
In office
12 November 1960 – 13 January 1961
President| Rajendra Prasad
Chief Minister| Bimala Prasad Chaliha
Preceded by| S. M. Shrinagesh
Succeeded by| S. M. Shrinagesh
Governor of Nagaland
In office
1 December 1963 – 16 April 1968
President| Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Zakir Husain
Chief Minister| P. Shilu Ao
Thepfülo-u Nakhro
Preceded by| Position created
Succeeded by| Braj Kumar Nehru
Cabinet Secretary of India
In office
1 July 1958 – 10 November 1960
Prime Minister| Jawaharlal Nehru
Preceded by| M. K. Vellodi
Succeeded by| B. N. Jha
In office
9 March 1961 – 15 April 1962
Prime Minister| Jawaharlal Nehru
Preceded by| B. N. Jha
Succeeded by| S. S. Khera
Personal details
Born| 22 November 1901
Died| 3 April 1989(1989-04-03) (aged 87)
Relations| Bhagwan Sahay (brother)

Vishnu Sahay (22 November 1901 – 3 April 1989)[1][2] was a former ICS officer and Cabinet Secretary of India who served as Governor of Assam and Nagaland following his retirement.

## Early life and education

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Sahay was the elder brother of Bhagawan Sahay, also an ICS officer and a former Governor of Kerala and Himachal Pradesh.[3] Vishnu Sahay studied at the SM College, Chandausi and at the Oxford University.[4][5] He was a member of the 1925 batch of the ICS, passing the exams on 16 October of that year.[6] Somewhat unusually, he was never awarded any of the honours which a civilian of his long service would have normally received.

## Civil servant

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Sahay had a long and distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service. He served as Cane Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh and Sugar Controller for India,[7] and as Secretary of Agriculture to the Government of India in which post, impressed by the Kaira Cooperative, he helped Verghese Kurien of Amul get a scholarship to study dairying in New Zealand.[8] He also served as Secretary for Kashmir Affairs in the Ministry of External Affairs[9] and was Cabinet Secretary of India twice during 1958–1960 and during 1961–1962.[10][11]

## Gubernatorial tenure

[edit]

Sahay was a two time Governor of Assam serving from 12 November 1960 to 13 January 1961 and from 7 September 1962 to 17 April 1968.[12][13] As Governor of Assam, Sahay signed the Ceasefire Agreement with the Naga insurgents in 1964.[14] He was also the first Governor of Nagaland, holding that office from 1 December 1963 – 17 April 1968.[12]

## References

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1. ^ Mukherjee, Amiya Ranjan (1961). Current Affairs. A. Mukherjee & Company. p. 315.
2. ^ Asia & Pacific Oceania, 2003, S. 733
3. ^ "A place in the sun". The Daily Star. 23 July 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
4. ^ "SM College - Alumni". SM College. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
5. ^ Lahiri, Shompa (2000). Indians in Britain: Anglo-Indian Encounters, Race and Identity, 1880-1930. London: Frank Cass Publishers. p. 72\. ISBN 9780714649863.
6. ^ The London Gazette, 6 November 1925
7. ^ "Problems Of Sugar Industry In India". Retrieved 7 March 2013.
8. ^ Heredia, Ruth (1997). The Amul India Story. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. pp. 104–105\. ISBN 9780074631607.
9. ^ "The Dixon Plan". Frontline. 12–25 October 2002. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
10. ^ "Cabinet Secretaries Since 1950". Cabinet Secretariat. Archived from the original on 10 March 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
11. ^ Maheshwari, S R (2001). Indian Administration (Sixth ed.). New Delhi: Orient Longman. p. 47\. ISBN 9788125019886.
12. ^ a b "States of India since 1947". Retrieved 7 March 2013.
13. ^ "Governors of Assam since 1937 onwards". Retrieved 7 March 2013.
14. ^ "Dawn of Peace in Nagaland". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2013.