Chennai, Nov 03: Former Under Secretary-General and Chef de Cabinet of the United Nations, C V Narasimhan passed away at his residence here last night following a heart attack, his family said. He was 88 and is survived by wife and two daughters.

Narasimhan joined the Indian Civil Service (ICS) in mid 30s. He held various posts in the then Madras Presidency, before moving to the Centre. In 1956, he joined as executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Asia and Far East. He was appointed as Chef de Cabinet in the UN in 1961 and later rose to become the Under Secretary-General until his retirement in 1978.

A recipient of Padma Vibhushan in 2001, Narasimhan was a vocalist himself and was associated with the prestigious music academy in the city for several years. Bureau Report