K. Natwar Singh – A Scholar Diplomat
As I Please
-Ramesh Chander
(SAMAJ WEEKLY)- Kunwar Natwar Singh (94), a scholar diplomat, passed away on August 10-11, 2024. Being a member of the MEA and the IFS fraternity, I first heard of him in 1974 when I was deployed in the PMO as an Assistant Protocol Officer. Natwar Singh, 1953 batch IFS, was the flamboyant Director attached to PM Indira Gandhi in the PMO in early 1970s. Later in 1982-83, I got a couple of opportunities to meet and interact with him as a Protocol Officer in the MEA when he was the Secretary General of NAM. Beyond this, I did not have any occasion to work with Natwar Singh in my diplomatic career. But later in the process, I started liking him; particularly on his joining public life in the mid-1980s through his books and articles in the print media. He was a scholar diplomat and an articulate writer. Natwar Singh, immaculately dressed diplomat with a charming personality, was a much sought after personality not only as a diplomat but in intellectual and literary circles.
Later on joining politics, he adorned many coveted positions including that of EAM in various governments. While in the IFS, he was close to PM Indira Gandhi and later in public life remained in the inner circles of PM Rajiv Gandhi, PM Manmohan Singh, Congress Party President, Sonia Gandhi among others. Later sometimes in mid- 2010s, he fell from grace due his involvement in a allegedly corruption case in the ‘Oil for Food’ programme for Iraq as EAM in PM Manmohan Singh government. He was unceremoniously removed as EAM which resulted in “K. Natwar Singh, 93, diplomat and Congress loyalist who turned persona non grata, dies” as storied by The Tribune on August 11. People in politics, sometimes, have to adjust with strange bed-fellows. Natwar Singh was no exception. He tried to be close to BJP and even joined for a while, BSP in late 2010s. His social background obviously helped him at the ladder to elevate himself. He was the scion of the royal family of Bharatpur and was married to the sister of Rani Sahiba Parneet Kaur of Patiala, the wife of CM of Punjab Captain Amrinder Singh.
As I said that I liked his books detailing his experiences in China and Africa and also Pakistan. His columns under the banner “As I Please” motivated me to write blogs under the same heading ‘As I Please’ and ‘The Bits and Pieces’. I also wrote about his autobiography ‘One life is not enough’ which may be seen at: https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/search?q=One+Life+is+not+enough
With this, I pay my tributes to Kunwar Natwar Singh, a ‘seasoned diplomat and erudite politician’ and also a ‘prolific writer’ and close here with heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
Badi Muskil Se Hota Hai; Chaman Mein Didawr Paida
