New Delhi: Former External Affairs Minister and veteran Congress leader Kunwar Natwar Singh passed away aged 95. He was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram after a sudden deterioration in his health. Singh was a retired Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and held various important positions throughout his political career.
Early life
Born on 16 May 1929 in Jaghina village, Bharatpur district, Rajasthan, Natwar Singh came from a Jat Hindu family belonging to the ruling dynasty of Bharatpur. He was the fourth of five children born to Govind Singh and his wife Prayag Kaur. In 1967, Natwar Singh married Maharajkumari Heminder Kaur, daughter of the last Maharaja of Patiala state, Yadavindra Singh, and sister of Captain Amarinder Singh, the current Maharaja of Patiala and former Chief Minister of Punjab.
Political journey
Natwar Singh joined Congress in 1984, resigning from IFS, and won the Lok Sabha election from Bharatpur. He became Minister of State for Steel, Coal, Mines, and Agriculture, and received the Padma Bhushan award. In 1986, he became Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and led the Indian delegation at the UN General Assembly in 1987. He lost the 1989 election from Mathura but remained active in politics, serving under PV Narasimha Rao after Congress returned to power in 1991.
Differences with PM
He left Congress due to differences with the Prime Minister and formed the All India Indira Congress. He merged with Congress in 1998 and won the Lok Sabha election from Bharatpur. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2002 and became Foreign Minister in 2004 under Manmohan Singh.
Singh’s autobiography, One Life is Not Enough, released in August 2014, created a stir in Indian politics. The book discussed the events of 2004 and explained why Sonia Gandhi did not become the Prime Minister. Additionally, Natwar Singh wrote that during the UPA regime, decisions were not made without Sonia Gandhi’s approval.
