Padma Bhushan Jagat Mehta's Lake Conservation Efforts

Celebrating the 101st birth anniversary of Padma Bhushan Jagat Mehta, India's successful Foreign Secretary, who dedicated his life to protecting and conserving lakes.

Udaipur, July 16 - On Sunday evening, a voluntary cleanup and dialogue session, called "Jagat Smriti Swachhata Shramdaan," was organized in commemoration of the 101st birth anniversary of Padma Bhushan Jagat Mehta. Dr. Tej Rajdan, Dr. Anil Mehta, Tej Shankar Paliwal, Nand Kishor Sharma, Kushal Raval, Drupad Singh, Mohan Singh Chauhan, and Ramesh Chand Rajput were among the lake enthusiasts who honoured Jagat Mehta's contribution to lake conservation. They actively participated in removing waste from the lake's surface and shores.

As the Chairman of the Lake Conservation Committee, Jagat Mehta tirelessly worked towards the protection and preservation of Udaipur's lakes and the catchment area of the Ayad River. He remained deeply concerned and dedicated to safeguarding the original boundaries and the water resources until his last breath. Whenever he visited Udaipur during his foreign service tenure, he contributed through voluntary work at the lakes. Due to his efforts, the National Lake Conservation Plan worth 125 crores was approved for Udaipur's lakes. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Lake Development Authority.

Born on July 17, 1922, Jagat Mehta received his early education at Vidya Bhavan School. He pursued higher education at Allahabad University and Cambridge University. He served as a professor at Allahabad University and also in the Indian Navy.

In 1947, during India's independence, Mehta joined the foreign service. He held the position of the first Chief of the Department of External Affairs. From 1976 to 1979, he served as India's Foreign Secretary.

Mehta's tenure in the foreign service was filled with numerous achievements. He played a crucial role in resolving the India-China border dispute in 1960, facilitating the repatriation of Indians from Uganda in 1975, normalizing relations with Pakistan in 1976, resolving the Salal Dam and Farakka Dam disputes in 1976 and 1977 respectively, and negotiating trade agreements with Nepal in 1978.

During his foreign service, Mehta led delegations and represented India in meetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers and various United Nations conferences, leaving an indelible mark in history. After his retirement, he served as a visiting professor at Texas University.

From 1985 to 1994, he served as the Chairman of the Sewa Mandir, and from 1993 to 2000, he was the Chairman of Vidya Bhavan.

Mehta authored internationally acclaimed books such as "Militarization in the Third World" in 1985, "The March of Folly in Afghanistan" in 2002, "Negotiating for India" in 2006, "Rescuing the Future" in 2008, and "The Tryst Betrayed: Reflections on Diplomacy and Development" in 2010.

Jagat Mehta passed away in 2014, leaving a legacy of dedicated service and remarkable contributions to India's foreign relations and lake conservation efforts.