Khushwant Singh writer, journalist & satirists died at 99

The writer, journalist, one of India's best known satirists and former editor of Hindustan Times, Khushwant Singh, died on Thursday. Singh, known for his witty, fearless and acerbic writings, was 99.

The man who spared none and spread ribald cheer with his celebrated column — With Malice towards One and All — was Hindustan Times editor between 1980-1983. He died quietly at home at his leafy Sujan Singh Park Apartment, a landmark for old timers of the capital, in whose construction his grandfather, Sir Sujan Singh, had a big hand.

He was born in Hadali (now in Pakistan) on February 2, 1915.

The man who made a place in the heart of millions of Indians with his irreverence and love of poetry will be laid to rest at the Lodhi Road Crematorium.

He shrugged off intellectual trappings and promoted jokes in a way that no other writer had ever done before him, or since. He ruled the literary pages with his satirical take on contemporary issues but attracted controversy over what his critics called his obsession with writing on sex.

Khushwant Singh’s father, Sir Sobha Singh, was a civil contractor and a prominent builder of Lutyens' Delhi. The internationally acclaimed author was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the government under late Indira Gandhi. He was a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986.

He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1974 but returned the decoration in 1984 in protest against the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar by the army.

He began his dealings with media as information officer of the government of India in Toronto and Canada and was Press attach and public officer for the high commission in the United Kingdom and the embassy in Ireland in 1948-50. Khushwant Singh started his writing career with Yojana, the planning commission's journal which he founded and edited.

In 2007, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan.

Khushwant Singh authored some internationally renowned books like "Train to Pakistan", "I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale", "A History of the Sikhs", "The Company of Women" and "Delhi", and has written over 30 novels, many short stories, essays and countless commentaries.

He was close to former prime minister Indira Gandhi but then fell out with her over her imposition of press censorship during her emergency rule 1975-77. The relationship further soured after he became close to estranged daughter-in-law Maneka Gandhi, whom he mentored for some time.

In 2002, the author candidly wrote about his life, family history and his relationship with politicians in the autobiography "Truth, Love and a Little Malice".