Natwar Singh, a distinguished diplomat, politician, and author, seamlessly transitioned between roles throughout his career. A former Minister of External Affairs, Singh passed away late on Saturday at the age of 93.

Born on May 16, 1931, in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, Singh was an alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and Cambridge University. He joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1953 and held notable positions, including Deputy High Commissioner to the UK (1973-1977), High Commissioner to Zambia (1977), and Ambassador to Pakistan (1980-1982).

Singh’s career in diplomacy was marked by his role as head of the preparatory committee for the Non-Alignment Summit in New Delhi in 1983, earning him the Padma Bhushan the following year. He entered politics in the 1980s, forming strong relationships with Indira Gandhi and later Rajiv Gandhi, serving in key ministerial roles, including Steel, Mines, Coal, and Agriculture.

Following Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, Singh’s political career faced turbulence. He was sidelined when P.V. Narasimha Rao became Prime Minister and subsequently joined the All India Indira Congress, a breakaway faction. Singh later rejoined the Congress under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2002. He was appointed Minister of External Affairs in 2004 but resigned in 2006 amid allegations related to the oil-for-food scandal, which implicated individuals close to him.

In February 2008, Singh resigned from the Congress and briefly joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) before being expelled for “anti-party activities.” In his later years, he publicly criticized Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, and his autobiography, One Life Is Not Enough, stirred controversy for revealing personal conversations.

Singh was also a prolific writer, authoring works such as The Legacy of Nehru: A Memorial Tribute and My China Diary 1956-88. He is survived by his wife, Heminder Kumari Singh, and son, Jagat.

In response to Singh’s passing, President Droupadi Murmu praised him as “an outstanding parliamentarian” and a distinguished diplomat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Singh’s significant contributions to diplomacy and foreign policy, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge lauded Singh as an “acclaimed intellectual” with notable contributions to diplomacy and external affairs.