New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister of India, K Natwar Singh has passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday. He took his last breath yesterday night following a prolonged illness.
He died while undergoing treatment at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. Born in 1931 in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur, the former EAM was a diplomat before he joined politics.
He joined the Indian Foreign Service at the age of 22 in 1953. The former EAM served as India’s Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1973 to 1977, subsequently taking on the role of High Commissioner to Zambia in 1977.
He was later appointed as India’s Ambassador to Pakistan from 1980 to 1982.
He served as the External Affairs minister in 2004-05 under government of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. K Natwar Singh also served as the Union Minister of State for Steel, Mines and Coal and Agriculture from 1985-86 in the cabinet of Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
He was elected as Member of Parliament for the first time from Bharatpur in the 1984 elections.
For his contribution to the nation, he was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the highest civilian award in India.
Following his demise, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma took to his official X handle and expressed grief saying, “The news of the demise of former External Affairs Minister of the Government of India, Padma Vibhushan awardee Ms. Natwar Singh is extremely sad. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to give a place to the departed soul in his feet and provide strength to the bereaved family in this hour of grief.”