Natwar Singh a ‘man of letters’: Congress pays tribute to former foreign minister

NEW DELHI: Congress leaders on Sunday condoled former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh’s demise with several leaders hailing his profound contribution to India’s diplomacy and external affairs.

The 93-year-old former Congress leader passed away on Saturday after prolonged illness.

“Our deepest condolences on the passing away of former Union Minister, K Natwar Singh ji. An acclaimed intellectual and a Padma Bhushan recipient, he made a profound contribution to India’s diplomacy and external affairs,” wrote Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a post on X.

An accomplished diplomat, Singh made his mark as a prolific author on subjects ranging from the life of a maharaja to nuances of foreign affairs. Some of his books include The Legacy of Nehru: A Memorial Tribute and My China Diary 1956-88, and his autobiography One Life is Not Enough.

Though Singh was known to be very close to former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he fell out with the party after allegations were levelled against him over the oil-for-food scandal during the UPA-I government.

In February 2008, he resigned from the Congress party,

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said, “A hugely engaging political personality. A distinguished foreign service officer. A cultured man of letters and a noted author with a few classics to his credit. A walking encyclopedia 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. He was truly someone who has left behind his footprints on the sands of time,” Ramesh said in an X post.