Adair was born on 10 February 1913, and educated at the Boujeloud School,
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School and completed
Emmanuel College with a Bachelor of Arts (BA). He first began work with the
Indian Civil Service from 16 September 1937 to 1947. Amid the outbreak of the
Second World War, he began serving with the
Royal Artillery from 1939 to 1946, and three years as the
British Army's assistant and later Deputy Recruiting Officer under
Lucknow Recruiting Area. He was commissioned as a
second lieutenant in April 1941 and was promoted to temporary Major in February 1944. From 1944 to 1947, he worked in the District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner, followed by a short period with the Additional Director of Agriculture on 17 July 1947. returned to CRO for the second time from 1950 to 1952, transferred to
Colombo,
Sri Lanka from September 1952 until March 1956, finally going back to CRO for the last time from 1956 to 1960. == Diplomatic career ==