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Sardar K.M. Panikkar, (1895-1963), historian, scholar, diplomat and statesman, was born in Kerala and was educated at Madras and at Christ Church. Oxford, where he was placed in the first in the Modern history school. he also read for the bar at the Middle Temple and taught for a few years at the Aligarh Mustim University before turning to journalism (1925) as the founder – editor of The Hindustan Times Entering political life in the service of Indian Princes, he was Secretary to the chancellor of the Chamber of Princes, served as foreign minister of Patiala, and was foreign and subsequently prime minister of Bikaner 1944-47. After Independence he moved over to diplomatic career, becoming India’s ambassador to China 1948-52, and Egypt 1952-53. He was member of the States Reorganisation Commission during 1953-55 before he returned to diplomatic service as India’s ambassador to France 1956-59. He was back in the university world in the last years of his life and was vice chancellor of the University of Mysore at the time of his death. Panikkar was profile writer with an astonishingly wide range of interests. “He can write”, said Krishna Menon”, a history book in half an hour which I could not write in six years”, and attributed this to his sound basic training, vast erudition and varied experience of public affairs. “It is not pure researchers”. Argued Panikkar, “who have produced historical literature of high value, but men of affairs who have themselves played some part in the life of their country..Infact to give life to historical evolution it would seem that experience of public affairs is in some degree essential”. The Soundness of this thesis has been borne out by his own numerous historical works, several of which have profoundly influenced contemporary thought and perceptions.