By IANS,
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday mourned the death of Rajasthan Governor S.K. Singh, who had earlier served as India’s foreign secretary.
In her message, President Patil said: “He was a distinguished diplomat, who served in important diplomatic positions in countries in our immediate neighbourhood.”
S.K. Singh died in Delhi Tuesday after a brief illness at the age of 77.
He was appointed Rajasthan governor Aug 19, 2007. Prior to this posting, S.K. Singh was the governor of Arunachal Pradesh from December 2004 to September 2007. He began his career in the Indian Foreign Service in 1954.
In February 1989, he was appointed India’s foreign secretary by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. He has also been credited to be the longest serving ambassador to Pakistan from 1985 to 1989. He also served as ambassador in Austria, Afghanistan, Jordan, Lebanon and Cyprus.
President Patil said that the “diplomatic community respected his rich experience in international relations and he distinguished himself during his term as India’s foreign secretary”.
In a statement issued here, she said he also had “deep interest in the arts and culture”, and added that “in his passing away we have lost an eminent public servant”.
In his condolence message to his widow, the prime minister described him as a “very dear friend” who served the country in various positions over the past five decades.
“He was one of the outstanding foreign service officers of his generation who rose to the post of Foreign Secretary,” the prime minister said.
“Please accept my deepest condolences on the sad passing away of your husband. He will be missed by his many friends and admirers. May god give you the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” Manmohan Singh wrote to S.K. Singh’s wife.
Vice President Hamid Ansari also said he was “deeply grieved to learn about the sad demise of S.K. Singh”.
“In his long public career, he occupied many important positions and served the country with great distinction. In his death, the country has lost an eminent diplomat, an able administrator and a respected public figure,” he said.
S.K. Singh is survived by his wife, Manju, and two sons.