Tributes Pour In for Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh

Congress leaders expressed deep sorrow on Sunday over the demise of former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge lauded Singh's profound impact on India's diplomacy and external affairs.

Singh, who died Saturday night after a prolonged illness, was 93. He passed away at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram near Delhi, where he had been admitted for several weeks, family sources confirmed.

''Our deepest condolences on the passing of Former Union Minister, Shri K. Natwar Singh ji. An acclaimed intellectual and Padma Bhushan recipient, he made significant contributions to India's diplomacy and external affairs,'' Kharge said in a social media post.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh highlighted Singh's multifaceted career and personality, describing him as a distinguished diplomat, prolific author, and engaging conversationalist. ''He was an encyclopedia of the Nehru and Indira Gandhi eras and has left behind a rich legacy,'' Ramesh added.

Singh's impressive career spanned diplomacy and politics, and he was notably the external affairs minister during the UPA-I period. He resigned from the Congress after a fallout with the party's leadership over the ''oil-for-food scam'' emerged. Despite this, his contributions to India's foreign affairs and literary landscape remain influential.

(With inputs from agencies.)