NEW DELHI: President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today led the nation in paying tributes to noted author and journalist Khushwant Singh, who passed away today.
Prime Minister called him a “gifted author, candid commentator and a dear friend who lived a truly creative life.”
Khushwant Singh, who was ill and had faded from public life, passed away aged 99 “very, very peacefully”, his son Rahul Singh, also a journalist said on his demise.
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi also offered his condolences saying, “My condolences on the passing away of noted author & journalist Khushwant Singh. May his soul rest in peace.”
Forner IPS officer Kiran Bedi remembered playing tennis with Singh.
“His hearty laughter over certain shots! He played to enjoy and not compete!” she said.
People associated with the well known raconteur paid tributes on social media and recalled their time shared with him.
Calling him a remarkable man and a great writer, veteran journalist Mark Tully said Kushwant Singh had a great sense of humor.
“He never minced his words and was a courageous person. I remember once having dinner with him when he showed up his tremendous knowledge about Urdu poetry. What a lovable man he was!” said Tully.
Leading Indian journalist and author M J Akbar said the noted author was an admirable man.
“I have this unreserved gratitude for him. I was a kid, 20-year-old in a newspaper, and he really picked us up from nothing. He gave us opportunities which were undreamt of for any young person wanting to do anything,” he said.
“For him to recognize and bless you was virtually the hand of a benedict,” Akbar added.
Akbar, however, said Singh resented those who had too strong an ideology and was a “classical 20th century liberal”.
Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Rajmohan Gandhi remembered Singh as someone with a desire to build other people.
“Apart from being a popular writer and utterly fearless man, what I found unusual in him, very rare in others was his great desire to build other people. He was always praising new authors, giving time to them. He was frank in his verdicts,” said Gandhi.
“To think Delhi, the world of literature and newspapers will be without him is a very very hard thought to accept!” Gandhi said.
People from all walks of life took to twitter to offer their condolences.
“The bulb is extinguished …Goodbye Khushwant Singh,” tweeted journalist Ashok Malik.
“So Khushwant singh goes, like we all must. what a life led! a 100 would have been excellent but he gave us 99 & we must be thankful for that,” tweeted cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle.
Writer Shobhaa De tweeted, “Khushwant Singh. End of an era. Only KS could say ‘There’s no condom for a pen. And prove it!”
Condoling the author’s death, President Pranab Mukherjee described him as a “fearless intellectual” who had sharp insight and unique wit, as well as sense of humor.
In a condolence message sent to his son Rahul, the President said he was deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of Singh.
Terming him as a prolific writer who made his mark in literature as well as journalism, the President said, “Singh will be remembered for his sharp insight and unique wit, as well as sense of humor.”
His writings delighted generations of readers and he was conferred several awards and national honors including the Padma Vibhushan, country’s second-highest civilian award, in 2007, the condolence message said.
The President said Khushwant Singh’s “contribution to the nation as a Member of Parliament was also noteworthy. A fearless intellectual and exceptional man, his sad demise leaves a vacuum difficult to fill.” –PTI
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