Former Prime Minister IK Gujral dies at 93

TNI Bureau: Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral died at the age of 93. He was suffering from lung infection and had been on a ventilator since November 19. He breathed his last at the Medicity Medanta Hospital.

IK Gujral was the 12th Prime Minister of India from April 1997 to March 1998. His United Front government was toppled by the Congress Party at that time. Gujral was a strong leader of erstwhile Janata Dal.

Born on December 4, 1919, IK Gujral had participated in the freedom struggle. He was jailed during the Quit India Movement in 1942. He was the Minister of Information and Broadcasting in 1975. He was later appointed Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. He was the Indian Envoy to Moscow.

He left the Congress Party in the mid-1980s and joined the Janata Dal. He served as Minister of External Affairs in Prime Minister V. P. Singh’s cabinet. IK Gujral’s son Naresh Gujral is a Rajya Sabha member from the Shiromani Akali Dal.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, BJP leader LK Advani and many other dignitaries condoled his death.