T. C. A. Raghavan

{{Short description|Indian diplomat and author}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|12|16|df=y}} | birth_place = | disappeared_date =  | disappeared_place = | disappeared_status = | death_date =  | death_place = | death_cause = | body_discovered = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates =  | office1 = High Commissioner of India to Pakistan | term_start1 = June 2013 | term_end1 = December 2015 | president1 = Pranab Mukherjee | predecessor1 = Sharat Sabharwal | successor1 = Gautam Bambawale | monuments = | other_names = | ethnicity =  | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = St Stephen's College, Jawaharlal Nehru University | occupation = | years_active = | agent = | known_for = | style = | home_town = | salary = | net_worth =  | height =  | weight =  | television = | title = | term = | party = | movement = | opponents = | boards = | denomination =  | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | callsign = | awards = | signature = | signature_alt = | signature_size = | module = | module2 = | module3 = | module4 = | module5 = | module6 = | website =  | footnotes = }}

'''TCA Raghavan''' is a former Indian diplomat who was a 1982 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/new-indian-high-commissioner-t-c-a-raghavan-arrives-in-pakistan/articleshow/21083939.cms | title=New Indian High Commissioner T C A Raghavan arrives in Pakistan | date=15 July 2013 | author=PTI | newspaper=The Economic Times | accessdate=10 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/tca-raghavan-is-india-s-new-envoy-to-pakistan/article1-1072055.aspx|title=TCA Raghavan is India's new envoy to Pakistan}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> He has considerable experience in South Asia policy issues and considered an expert on Pakistan studies, including heading the Joint Secretary the Division of the Ministry of External Affairs in Pakistan Afghanistan and Iran (PAI) division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/tca-raghavan-is-indias-new-high-commissioner-to-pakistan-524565|title=TCA Raghavan is India's new High Commissioner to Pakistan}}</ref> From {{dts|format=dmy|2013|06|06}} till his retirement on {{dts|format=dmy|2015|12|31}} Raghavan was the High Commissioner of India to Pakistan. After retirement he has authored two books- the first a biography of two Mughal nobles and the other a study of India Pakistan relations. In July 2018 he was appointed Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://icwa.in/dg.html | title=About Us-Dr. T C A Raghavan, Director General, ICWA | publisher=ICWA | accessdate=May 12, 2019}}</ref><ref name="DGICWAParticulars">{{cite web | url=https://icwa.in/pdfs/DGICWAParticulars.pdf | title=Brief particulars of Dr. T C A Raghavan | publisher=ICWA | accessdate=May 12, 2019}}</ref>

==Early life and background== Raghavan spent his childhood in Delhi, Bhopal and Jammu. He finished school at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya and his college and university were at St. Stephen's College, Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/893929/cross-border-relations-its-in-indias-best-interests-to-have-peaceful-neighbours-says-dr-raghavan/|title=Cross-border relations: It's in India's best interests to have peaceful neighbours, says Dr Raghavan|date=28 May 2015 }}</ref> He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1982. He was awarded a PhD by Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1992 in history. His dissertation was on the Agrarian History of the Narmada Valley.

==Career== Raghavan was the Indian high commissioner to Singapore till June 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-20863204|title=Indian High Commissioner on rape death|work=BBC News }}</ref> After that, he was appointed the High commissioner to Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/newdelhi/tca-raghavan-is-india-s-new-envoy-to-pakistan/article1-1072055.aspx|title=TCA Raghavan is India's new envoy to Pakistan}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-04-22/news/61417320_1_indian-high-commissioner-bilateral-trade-enhanced-trade|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426232940/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-04-22/news/61417320_1_indian-high-commissioner-bilateral-trade-enhanced-trade|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 April 2015|title=India not worried over Pakistan-China economic corridor: High Commissioner TCA Raghavan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-high-commissioner-tca-raghavan-to-meet-indian-woman-stuck-for-over-a-decade-in-pakistan-2110895|title=High Commissioner TCA Raghavan to meet Indian woman stuck for over a decade in Pakistan}}</ref> Earlier, Raghavan was a Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad from 2003 to 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2003/03/01/stories/2003030105941100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030430102552/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/2003/03/01/stories/2003030105941100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2003-04-30|work=The Hindu|date=2003-03-01|title=T.C.A. Raghavan takes over as Charge d'affaires in Pak.}}</ref> His previous overseas postings include United Kingdom (1995-1998), Bhutan (1992-1995) and Kuwait (1983-1986).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/tca-raghavan-is-india-new-high-commissioner-to-pakistan-165897-2013-06-06|title=TCA Raghavan is India's new High Commissioner to Pakistan |magazine=India Today|date=June 7, 2013| access-date=May 12, 2019 |agency=PTI|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

After his retirement he has emerged as a well known author with three well received books. The first is entitled ''Attendant Lords: Bairam Khan and Abdur Rahim, Courtiers and Poets in Mughal India''. It was published by HarperCollins in 2017 and was awarded the Mohammad Habib Prize for medieval Indian history by the Indian History Congress in December 2017. His second book is also published by HarperCollins and is entitled ''The People Next Door: The Curious History of India's Relations with Pakistan''. His latest book is entitled '''History Men: Jadunath Sarkar, G S Sardesai, Raghubir Sinh and their Quest for India's Past''' (HarperCollins, 2020).

==Personal life== Raghavan is married to Ranjana Raghavan. They have two daughters.

== Bibliography ==

* {{Cite book|last=Raghavan|first=T. C. A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RHoyDwAAQBAJ|title=The People Next Door: The Curious History of India-Pakistan Relations|publisher=HarperCollins|year=2017|isbn=9789352770915|language=en}} * {{Cite book|last=Raghavan|first=T. C. A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ElFItAEACAAJ|title=Attendant Lords: Bairam Khan and Abdur Rahim : Courtiers & Poets in Mughal India|date=2017|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers India|isbn=978-93-5264-301-1|language=en}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://icwa.in/pdfs/DGICWAParticulars.pdf]

{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before=Subrahmanyam Jaishankar}} {{s-ttl|title=High Commissioner of India to Singapore|years=2009–2013}} {{s-aft|after=Vijay Thakur Singh}} {{s-bef|before=Sharat Sabharwal}} {{s-ttl|title=High Commissioner of India to Pakistan|years=June 2013 – December 2015}} {{s-aft|after=Gautam Bambawale}} {{end}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raghavan, TCA}} Category:High commissioners of India to Singapore Category:High commissioners of India to Pakistan Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni Category:Indian scholars of Pakistan studies Category:Historians of Pakistan Category:Writers about Pakistan Category:Sardar Patel Vidyalaya alumni