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A seasoned diplomat, an erudite politician
Kunwar Natwar Singh, former external affairs minister (2004-2005), died at 95. President Murmu, PM Modi, and others praised his diplomatic contributions.
Diplomat-turned-politician Kunwar Natwar Singh, who was external affairs minister from 2004 to 2005, has died at the age of 95 after being hospitalised for the past fortnight.
Singh, who was born in the princely state of Bharatpur and joined the Congress after leaving the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1984, died in a hospital in Gurugram late on Saturday. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third highest civilian award, in 1984.
In his role as external affairs minister, Singh was involved in the negotiations that led to the India-US civil nuclear deal in July 2005. However, he had to resign after an independent inquiry set up by the United Nations to probe irregularities in Iraq’s oil-for-food programme named Singh, the Congress and several Indian firms as beneficiaries.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh were among those who paid tribute to Singh on Sunday, describing him as a distinguished diplomat and praising his contributions to foreign policy.
Modi said on X that Singh “made rich contributions to the world of diplomacy and foreign policy” and was known for his intellect and prolific writing. “My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief,” he said. In a post on X, Jaishankar said Singh’s “many contributions include a vital role in the July 2005 India-US nuclear deal. His writings, especially on China, provided valuable insights into our diplomacy.”
Singh joined IFS at the age of 22 in 1953 and one of his earliest assignments abroad was in the embassy in Beijing from 1956 to 1958.
Besides serving under high commissioner Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit in the mission in London and in India’s permanent mission to the UN in New York from 1961 to 1966, he was deputed to the Prime Minister’s Office under then prime minister Indira Gandhi between 1966 and 1971.
His other assignments abroad include stints as ambassador to Poland (1971-73), deputy high commissioner to the UK (1973-77) and envoy to Pakistan (1980-82).
After quitting the IFS in 1984, Singh was elected to the Lok Sabha from Bharatpur constituency in Rajasthan as a representative of the Congress party. In 1985, he became a minister of state for steel, coal and mines in the government headed by Rajiv Gandhi. In 1986, he became minister of state for external affairs.
Singh’s differences with prime minister PV Narasimha Rao led to his leaving the Congress and forming the All India Indira Congress party along with fellow dissidents ND Tiwari and Arjun Singh. Singh returned to the Congress in 1998 and was re-elected to the Lok Sabha from Bharatpur.
When the Congress returned to power at the Centre in 2004, prime minister Manmohan Singh appointed him external affairs minister.
Though Singh resigned after he was named by the Paul Volcker Committee in Iraq’s oil-for-food scandal, he always rejected the charges levelled against him. Singh had been accused of writing letters to officials in the Saddam Hussein regime to introduce businessman Andaleeb Sehgal, a friend of his son Jagat Singh, and recommending Sehgal for contracts under the UN-sponsored oil-for-food programme.
Singh was a prolific author and loved reading. His autobiography “One Life is Not Enough”, published in 2014, was critical of Manmohan Singh’s role in sealing the India-US nuclear deal. He also angered the Congress with his criticism of the party’s leadership in his autobiography.
His death drew condolences across party lines.
In a post on X, President Murmu said: “Sad to learn about the demise of former Union minister Shri K. Natwar Singh. In his long career, he wore many hats, from a distinguished diplomat to an outstanding parliamentarian. Honoured with Padma Bhushan, he was also a renowned man of letters. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and followers.”
External affairs minister Jaishankar wrote: “His many contributions include a vital role in the July 2005 India - US nuclear deal. His writings, especially on China, provided valuable insights into our diplomacy.”
Congress parliamentarian Ramesh said Singh “left behind his footprints on the sands of time.”
“A hugely engaging political personality. A distinguished foreign service officer. A cultured man of letters and noted author with a few classics to his credit. A walking encyclopaedia of the worlds of Nehru and Indira Gandhi. A delightful conversationalist, storyteller and ready wit. A man whose correspondence with varied men and women are the stuff of history. A wonderful and generous friend with his hospitality and his ever-sharp memory and his deep archive. Natwar Singh was all this and much more. He has just passed away after leading a full and richly variegated life,” Ramesh said on X.
Singh is survived by his wife Heminder Kumari Singh and son Jagat Singh.
