Khushwant Singh

Born on 2nd feburary 1915 in Hadali (now in Pakistan), Khushwant Singh, one of India’s most well known writers and columnists, educated at the Government College, Lahore, King's College, Cambridge University, and the Inner Temple in London. He practiced Law at the Lahore High Court for seve...

Born on 2nd feburary 1915 in Hadali (now in Pakistan), Khushwant Singh, one of India’s most well known writers and columnists, educated at the Government College, Lahore, King's College, Cambridge University, and the Inner Temple in London. He practiced Law at the Lahore High Court for several years before joining the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in 1947. He began a distinguished career as a journalist with the All India Radio in 1951.

He has edited newspapers like Yojana, Illustrated Weekly of India, the National Herald and Hindustan Times, and also authored books (fiction, non fiction and short stories) that include the unforgettables, like, Train to Pakistan, I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale, Delhi, The Company of Women and Burial at Sea. He has also penned a classic
two-volume book - A History of the Sikhs; and translated several books on Sikh religion culture and Urdu poetry. His autobiography, Truth, Love and a Little Malice, which was published in 2002 won accolades worldwide.

Singh has been known as a complete readers’ writer. His acid wit and satirical comment on the society at large makes readers pick up his books over and over again. He writes in a style that is easy descriptive yet very easy to comprehend.

Khushwant Singh was also a Member of Parliament from 1980 to 1986. He was also conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 1974, but he returned it in 1984 to  protest against the storming of the Golden Temple by the Indian Army. In 2007, he was awarded the second highest civilian honour - Padma Vibhushan.

He has a son, named Rahul Singh, and a daughter. He is related to actress Amrita Singh and Tisca Chopra.

Submitted by Deepti Khanna