Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh Dies at 93

NEW DELHI: Former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh passed away on Saturday night after a prolonged illness. He was 93 years old.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences. Taking to X, he wrote, “Pained by the passing away of Natwar Singh. He made rich contributions to the world of diplomacy and foreign policy. He was also known for his intellect as well as prolific writing. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief.”

Natwar Singh passed away at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, near Delhi. He had been admitted to the hospital two weeks ago.

Natwar Singh, born in 1931 in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, was a former Congress leader who entered politics after a long career in the Indian Foreign Service. He joined the service in 1953 and later became India's ambassador to Pakistan from 1966 to 1971.

In 1984, he left the Foreign Service, won a seat in the Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket, and served as a union minister of state until 1989. He became a union minister again in 2004 but resigned 18 months later due to an alleged scandal, from which he was later cleared.

A close aide of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Natwar Singh also authored several books, including his autobiography "One Life is Not Enough." He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1984 but eventually fell out with the Congress leadership.

Natwar Singh and the Congress party had a bitter fallout over the Volcker report, which accused him and his son of benefiting from Saddam Hussein's 'oil-for-food' scandal. Singh always denied any personal gains. In February 2008, he resigned from Congress, ending a nearly 25-year-long association.

The 93-year-old former External Affairs Minister also wrote several books, including "The Legacy of Nehru: A Memorial Tribute," "My China Diary 1956-88," and his autobiography "One Life is Not Enough."

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