PM, Sonia offer condolences on hearing of Khushwant Singh's death

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi visited the residence of eminent author and journalist Khushwant Singh, who breathed his last today, to condole his passing with members of his family.

Earlier, in his condolence message, the Prime Minister said, Khushwant Singh was a gifted author, candid commentator and a dear friend.

He said, Khushwant lived a truly creative life.

Born on 2 February in 1915, Singh, who died of old age complications, aged 99, was best known for his trenchant humor, his secularism, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit. He served as editor of several literary and news magazines, as well as two broadsheet newspapers, through the 1970s and 1980s.

Singh had edited Yojana, an Indian government journal; The Illustrated Weekly of India, a newsweekly; and two major Indian newspapers, The National Herald and the Hindustan Times. He also worked in All India Radio.

From 1980 through 1986, Singh was a member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 for service to his country.

In 1984, he returned the award in protest against the siege of the Golden Temple by the Indian Army.In 2007, the Indian government awarded Khushwant Singh the Padma Vibhushan.