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Dr.Randhawa is synonymous with aesthetics, adulation, clairvoyance, probe, integrity, courage and humanism.

He was born on the 2nd Feb, 1909 at Zira in district Ferozepur, Punjab, India. He joined the prestigious Indian Civil Service in 1934 after clearing his examinations in London and then served in various capacities at Saharanpur, Fayzabad, Almora, Allahabad, Agra, and Rai Barelli till 1945.

He was the Secretary of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) from 1945 to 46 and made huge contributions to this pioneering organisation which was responsible for the Green Revolution in India. In fact, he is acknowledged as the Father of the Green Revolution in Punjab.

 In 1946, he served as the Deputy Commissioner of Delhi and as the Additional Director-General (Rehabilitation), Director-General (Rehabilitation), Punjab, Commissioner Ambala Division in Punjab and helped countless persons resettle during the turbulent time of Partition in 1947.

 In 1955 he became the Vice-President of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Additional Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, New Delhi. It was during this time that the ICAR was ushered into the modern era. He headed an Indian-American team promoting research and the use of fertilizers,  headed delegations to United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation conferences in Bandung, Indonesia, Rome and London. He then served the Government of India as Advisor, Natural Resources, Planning Commission from 1961-1964 and then as special Secretary, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Govt. of India.

Another facet of Dr. Randhawa was his scientific bent of mind. He did valuable work as a scientist. In 1955, was awarded a Doctorate in Science by the Punjab University for his pioneering work on algae and especially on a particular strain called “Zygnemaceae”.

Dr. Randhawa was an integral part in building Chandigarh; in 1955 he became chairman of a committee of architects, town planners, engineers, horticulturists and foresters. He was Financial Commissioner of the Capital Project Punjab from July to October 1966, and the Chief Commissioner of the Union Territory of Chandigarh from November 1966 to 1968.  It was his experience with trees and landscaping that has earned Chandigarh the title of “City Beautiful”. The city became his child. He gave houses to artists and poets and countless others. He is the reason for the existence of world famous “Rock Garden” created by Nek Chand and Asia’s largest Rose Garden in Chandigarh. The city and the artist community shall forever remain in debted to this great man because of whom the Goverment Museum in Chandigarh became a premier museum in India.

Dr. Randhawa conceived and created India’s first agricultural university, the Punjab Agricultural University at Ludhiana along with a museum and art gallery at the university to depict the various aspects of rural life. He became the vice chancellor of the university in 1968 and was also instrumental in the construction of the Anglo – Sikh Wars Memorial near Ferozepur, which was completed in February 1976.

 He served as the Chairman of All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society. He was the chief editor of the magazine, the best art journal in the country at the time, “Rooplekha”, which provided a forum to research scholars in art for publication of their original papers.

Dr. Randhawa was passionate about Indian Art. He created an excellent scholarly series of books pertaining to the paintings of Kangra Region and brought this exotic art of miniatures before the people, which are now a permanent contribution to Indian art-history.

He was responsible for setting up Punjab Arts Council with three Akademies - Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, Punjab Sahit Akademi, Punjab Sangeet Natak Akademi. Similarly he set up the three art Akademies in Chandigarh as well.

Dr. Randhawa was a prolific writer as well and was well versed in English, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, contributing in the field of Agriculture, Rural Development, Sociology, Art, Science and Urban Planning.

Dr.Randhawa remained active promoting the causes dear to his heart till he breathed his last on March 3, 1986.