NEW DELHI, Sept 27 - Former Union Minister Jaswant Singh, one of the founding members of the BJP and a close associate of ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, died here on Sunday following a long spell of illness. He was 82. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers and other top leaders cutting across the political spectrum paid rich tributes to Singh.
Singh, a former Army officer, had a fall at his home in August 2014 and was admitted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital. He was in coma for a long spell and had been in and out of the hospital since then. He was admitted again in June this year. �It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Hon�ble Major Jaswant Singh (Retd), former Cabinet Minister at 0655 hours on 27 September 2020. He was admitted on 25 June 2020 and being treated for sepsis with Multiorgan Dysfunction Syndrome and effects of Severe Head Injury old (Optd) had a Cardiac arrest this morning,� the hospital said in a statement.
Despite best efforts of specialists to resuscitate him, he could not be revived and passed away, it added.
Reacting to Singh�s death, the President said the demise of the �veteran soldier, outstanding Parliamentarian, exceptional leader and intellectual� was distressing.
�He combined many difficult roles with ease and equanimity. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,� he said.
Modi said that Singh served India diligently and will be remembered for his unique perspective on matters of politics and society.
The Prime Minister later spoke to Singh�s son Manvendra to convey his condolences.
True to his nature, Jaswant Singh fought his illness with immense courage for the last six years, Modi said.
Condoling his death, Modi said, �Jaswant Singh Ji served our nation diligently, first as a soldier and later during his long association with politics. During Atal Ji�s Government, he handled crucial portfolios and left a strong mark in the worlds of finance, defence and external affairs�.
In his eclectic career, Singh donned many hats � army officer, author, Union Minister, but his handling of the Kandahar hijack crisis as the then External Affairs Minister in 1999 was one that looms large. � PTI
