Apa Saheb Bala Saheb Pant

Apa Saheb Bala Saheb Pant
Jomo Kenyatta, Apa Pant and Achieng Oneko
Born	11 September 1912 Aundh State, British India
Died	5 October 1992
Occupation	Diplomat, freedom fighter
Spouse(s)	Nalini Devi
Children	Three children
Parent(s)	Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi
Awards	Padma Shri

Apa Saheb Bala Saheb Pant, also known as Apa Pant, was an Indian Prince (the son of the tenth ruler of the Aundh State), gandhian, writer, freedom fighter and diplomat. He served as the Indian Commissioner at various African countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland and the Belgian colony of the Congo and, later, as the Indian ambassador to countries like Indonesia, Norway, Egypt, United Kingdom and Italy. The Government of India honoured him in 1954, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for his contributions to the society, placing him among the first recipients of the award.

Apa Sahib Bala Saheb Pant was born on 11 September 1912 in the princely state of Aundh in the British India, presently near Pune in the Indian state of Maharashtra, as the second son of Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, the ruler of the state. After schooling at local institutions, he graduated (BA) from the University of Mumbai and secured his master's degree (MA) from Oxford University. He continued his studies in London and passed Barrister at Law from Lincoln's Inn and returned to India in 1937 when the Indian freedom movement was gathering pace.

Pant married Nalini Devi, a medical doctor and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1942 and the couple had three children, Aditi, Aniket and Avalokita. He died, aged 80, on 5 October 1992, succumbing to old age illnesses.