Senior politician and former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh passed away on Saturday. He had been admitted to a hospital in Gurugram following an illness and breathed his last there on Saturday night.

According to a news agency, Singh’s son Jagtar Singh said, “He was ill for a very long time. His health deteriorated over the past two months. He was in the hospital for the past month… He took his last breath on Saturday. His last rites will be performed at Lodhi Road Crematorium on Monday, 12th August.”

“He passed away at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram (Haryana) on Saturday night, following a prolonged illness,” Singh added.

Natwar Singh, a former diplomat who later joined politics, served as Minister of External Affairs during the UPA regime in 2004-05.

He made his political debut from Bharatpur in Rajasthan in the early eighties, where he contested the Lok Sabha elections and was elected to Parliament.

Singh was sworn in as a cabinet minister in 1985.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their grief over Singh’s passing.

Taking to social media, the Vice President said that Natwar Singh served the nation in various capacities, including as External Affairs Minister. He added that Singh always infused zeal into life and made significant contributions to society.

Prime Minister Modi also remembered Singh’s contributions to the world.

‘Pained by the passing away of Shri Natwar Singh Ji. He made rich contributions to the world of diplomacy and foreign policy. He was also known for his intellect as well as prolific writing. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti,’ PM Modi wrote on the social media platform X.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar expressed grief over Singh’s passing, stating that he was deeply saddened by Singh’s demise.

“Distinguished diplomat and former External Affairs Minister. 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. Condolences to his family. Om Shanti,” the EAM wrote on X.

Singh was born in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, and joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1953.

The veteran politician was fond of writing and authored several books. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan.