Celebrated Indian journalist and author Khushwant Singh dead at 99

The grand old man of Indian literature, Khushwant Singh has died on March 20, 2014. He was a well-known writer, journalist and one of India’s best known satirists.

Khushwant’s son Rahul Singh told that he died peacefully at his home in Sujan Singh Park in Delhi. He was 99 and had some breathing problems.

Born in Hadali (now in Pakistan) on February 2, 1915, Mr Singh was the founder-editor of ‘Yojana’ and went on to head The Illustrated Weekly of India, the National Herald and the Hindustan Times.

Mr Singh was famous for his classics like “Train to Pakistan”, “I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale”, “Delhi – A Novel” and his autobiography- “Truth, Love and a Little Malice”.

He was known for his outrageous humor and his love of scotch. Even at 95 he wrote a novel “The Sunset Club.” He was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986.

After being awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974, he returned it as a protest against then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on the issue of storming of the Golden Temple in 1984. However he controversially backed Mrs Gandhi’s declaration of Emergency in 1975-77, which was opposed by many. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2007.