Morarji Desai (29 February 1896 – 10 April 1995) was an
Indian independence activist and the
Prime Minister of India from 1977 to 1979. He was also the first Prime Minister to head India's first non-Congress Government. He held many important posts in the
Government of India such as: Chief Minister of
Bombay State,
Home Minister,
Finance Minister and
Deputy Prime Minister of India. On the international scene, Desai holds international fame for his
peace activism and made efforts to initiate peace between two rival
South Asian states,
Pakistan and
India. After India's first
nuclear explosion in 1974, Desai helped restore friendly
relations with China and Pakistan, and vowed to avoid armed conflict such as
Indo-Pakistani war of 1971. Domestically, he played a crucial role in the
Indian nuclear program after it was targeted by major nuclear powers after conducting a surprise test in 1974. Morarji Desai closed down much of India's premier intelligence agency
Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), and reduced its budget and operations. Desai was the only Indian national to be conferred with Pakistan's highest civilian award,
Nishan-e-Pakistan, which was conferred on him by
President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990 in a colorful ceremony. Later, his policies promoted social, health and
administrative reforms in the country.