Former higher education secretary Vinay Sheel Oberoi breathed his last on Friday.
He was 63.
Oberoi, who was recovering from a liver transplant operation, suffered a stroke on Wednesday.
He was a retired IAS officer of 1979 batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
Oberoi served as the higher education secretary from June 2015 to February 2017 when Smriti Irani was the Union HRD minister.
Besides serving in the HRD Ministry, Oberoi was also the secretary to the Women and Child Development Ministry and served as India’s ambassador and permanent representative at UNESCO.
According to reports, Oberoi played a key role in getting the Institution of Eminence project off the ground and in drafting of the Indian Institute of Management Act which empowers IIMs to grant degrees to the students.
Condoling the demise of Oberoi, Union minister Irani tweeted on Saturday: “Colleague, father figure, friend. Was blessed to serve with him in HRD when he donned the hat of Secretary Higher Education. Though we lost him last night, his guidance & kindness will stay with me forever.”
Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu tweeted: “Deeply saddened by sad demise of Vinay Sheel Oberoi, former Secretary Higher Education, Union HRD Ministry, GOI.”
“We have lost an amazing personality who had spent time in Northeast and had great passion for the region and for Arunachal. May the departed soul rest in peace,” he added.
Deeply saddened by sad demise of Vinay Sheel Oberoi, former Secretary Higher Education, Union HRD Ministry, GOI. We have lost an amazing personality who had spent time in Northeast and had great passion for the region and for Arunachal.
May the departed soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/I4RJomyd1S— Pema Khandu (@PemaKhanduBJP) April 11, 2020
Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, Bhubneswar Kalita tweeted: “Our deepest condolences to the family of Vinay Sheel Oberoi. He was an extremely able administrator.”
“His love for the North-East was exemplary amongst IAS. An (sic) wonderful human being will be missed by us all,” he added.
Our deepest condolences to the family of Vinay Sheel Oberoi. He was an extremely able administrator. His love for the North-East was exemplary amongst IAS. An wonderful human being will be missed by us all. #Assam @smritiirani
ji. pic.twitter.com/yHXpdJpZb1— Bhubneswar Kalita MP (@kalita_mp) April 11, 2020
An alumnus of Doon School and Delhi School of Economics, Oberoi retired in 2017 as the secretary in the HRD Ministry and thereafter he joined Reliance Industries Limited.