Kunwar Natwar Singh was born on May 16, 1931, and is a former Indian diplomat and politician who served as Minister of External Affairs from May 2004 to December 2005.
Natwar Singh joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1953. He was there for 31 years. His initial job was in Beijing, China, and he then worked for India in New York.
He was also India’s representative on the UNICEF executive board from 1962 to 1966. Between 1963 and 1966, he also served on UN committees. From 1971 to 1973, he was India’s Ambassador to Poland, then from 1973 to 1977, he was India’s Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and from 1980 to 1982, he was India’s Ambassador to Pakistan.
He was chosen by the Secretary-General to serve as an Executive Trustee of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) for six years. In 1982, he also served on the Commonwealth Expert Group in London.
In 1984, he received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour.
He resigned from the Indian Foreign Service in 1984 and joined the Congress party. He ran for and was elected to the 8th Lok Sabha from the Rajasthan constituency of Bharatpur. In 1985, he was appointed as a minister of state, with portfolios in steel, coal and mines, and agriculture. He was appointed minister of state for foreign affairs in 1986.
He was chosen by the Secretary-General to serve as an Executive Trustee of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) for six years. In 1982, he also served on the Commonwealth Expert Group in London.
In 1984, he received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour.
He resigned from the Indian Foreign Service in 1984 and joined the Congress party. He ran for and was elected to the 8th Lok Sabha from the Rajasthan constituency of Bharatpur. In 1985, he was appointed as a minister of state, with portfolios in steel, coal and mines, and agriculture. He was appointed minister of state for foreign affairs in 1986.
He was chosen by the Secretary-General to serve as an Executive Trustee of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) for six years. In 1982, he also served on the Commonwealth Expert Group in London.
In 1984, he received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour.
He resigned from the Indian Foreign Service in 1984 and joined the Congress party. He ran for and was elected to the 8th Lok Sabha from the Rajasthan constituency of Bharatpur. In 1985, he was appointed as a minister of state, with portfolios in steel, coal and mines, and agriculture. He was appointed minister of state for foreign affairs in 1986.
Manmohan Singh’s leadership returned Congress to power in 2004, and he became Foreign Minister in 2004. However, he was forced to quit within 18 months after being accused by the UN’s Volcker committee of unlawful pay-offs in the Iraqi oil scam.
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