Mourners recall Sekhon as ‘strong & pleasant’

In a prayer meeting organised in Gajjar Hall at Law Garden, rich tributes were paid in memory of the former additional chief secretary of Gujarat, Swatantra K Sekhon, who had passed away on Monday. Sekhon had held a number of important positions in central, and Guj government.  

Mourners recalled the officer as not only ‘good looking’ but also equally tough while being lively, pleasant and strong. Sekhon was suffering from kidney failure for the last 10 years, though it could hardly dip her spirits.

“I had met her only few weeks back. Despite changes in appearance from her illness, there was no change in her laughter which almost ringed in the air,” an officer close to Sekhon recalled.

Even after her retirement Sekhon continued working as the DG of Swarnim Gujarat.

Born in August 1947 in a district in Punjab, Sekhon was rightly named by her father as Swatantra (free). An extremely sociable person, she did reflect an independent spirit in her work style and personal life. “As district development officer in Bhavnagar, she fought off political pressure without giving in an inch to any kind of wrong doing,” former chief secretary, PK Laheri recalled.

“She was four years my senior and I looked up to her as model officer. There are few people who can be so charming and yet so firm,” said principal secretary health, Ravi Saxena.