View source for Swaran Singh

{{Short description|Indian politician (1907–1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2013}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name          = Sardar Swaran Singh
|image         = Swaran Singh Lok Sabha photo.jpg
|image_size    = 200
|alt           = 
|caption       = Swaran Singh Lok Sabha portrait
|birth_name    = Swaran Singh Purewal
|birth_date    = {{birth date|df=yes|1907|8|19}}
|birth_place   = Shankar Village, [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British Raj|British India]]
|death_date    = {{death date and age|df=yes|1994|10|30|1907|8|19}}
|death_place   = New Delhi, India
|death_cause   = Cardiac Arrest
|nationality   = Indian
|citizenship   = India
|ethnicity     = 
|education     = Randhir College, Kapurthala, Government College Lahore
|alma_mater    =
|occupation    = Politician

| office      = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
| term_start   = 10 October 1974
| term_end = 1 December 1975
| primeminister = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| predecessor = [[Jagjivan Ram]]
| successor     = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| term_start2   = 13 November 1966
| term_end2  = 27 June 1970
| primeminister2 = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| predecessor2 = [[Yashwantrao Chavan]]
| successor2     = [[Jagjivan Ram]]

| office3 = [[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Minister of External Affairs]]
| term_start3   = 27 June 1970
| term_end3   = 10 October 1974
| primeminister3 = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| successor3 = [[Yashwantrao Chavan]]
| predecessor3 = [[Dinesh Singh (Uttar Pradesh politician)|Dinesh Singh]]
| term_start4 = 18 July 1964
| term_end4 = 14 November 1966
| primeminister4 = [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]] <br/> [[Indira Gandhi]]
| successor4 = [[M. C. Chagla]]
| predecessor4 = [[Lal Bahadur Shastri]] {{small|Acting}}

| office5      = [[Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare|Minister of Agriculture]]
| predecessor5 = [[S. K. Patil]]
| successor5 = [[Chidambaram Subramaniam]]
| primeminister5 = [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
| term_start5 = 1 September 1963	
| term_end5 = 9 June 1964

| office6      = [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]]
| term_start6   = 10 April 1962
| term_end6  = 21 September 1963
| primeminister6 = [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]
| predecessor6 = [[Jagjivan Ram]]
| successor6     = [[H. C. Dasappa]]

| office7 = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| constituency7 = [[Jalandhar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Jullundur]]
| term_start7 = 1957
| term_end7 = 1977

|spouse        = Charan Kaur
|children      = Param Panag, Sat Boparai, Iqbal Sidhu, Jasvinder Kaur
|parents       = Sardar [[Partap Singh Shankar]]
|website       = 
|footnotes     =  
}}

'''Sardar Swaran Singh''' (19 August 1907 – 30 October 1994) was an Indian politician. He was India's second longest-serving union cabinet minister after [[Jagjivan Ram]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://prsindia.org/articles-by-prs-team/from-vowing-support-to-diplomatic-offensive-how-parliament-kept-pressure-on-indira-govt-to-liberate-east-bengal|title=Articles by PRS Team}}</ref>

== Early life ==

Swaran Singh Purewal was born on 19 August 1907 in [[Shankar (village)]] in [[Jalandhar district]] of Punjab.  He was born in [[Jat]] (Sikh) family.
He completed his intermediate (high school) at [[Randhir College]] in [[Kapurthala]]. He then joined [[Government College, Lahore]] and completed a degree in physics with honors.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

He then worked as a lecturer in physics in [[Lyallpur Khalsa College]]. After leaving this job he studied law in Government law college in Lahore and received his L.L.B in 1932.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

He started a law practice near his birth village in the nearby town of Jallandhar, specialising in criminal law.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

== Political career ==

=== The early days ===
In 1930s he joined the [[Akali Dal]] political party and by the mid forties he was a prominent leader in the mid-1940s. He played an important role in the compromise between the Indian national congress party and the Akali Dal in the early 1940s.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

Just before the 1946 elections, the [[Panthic Party]] was formed with [[Baldev Singh]] as the leader and Singh was elected its deputy leader. In 1946 he was elected a member of the Punjab legislative assembly.  He then became parliamentary secretary to the Punjab Coalition government.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

He was a member of the Punjab Partition Committee where he played an important role.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

On 15 August 1947, the day of [[Partition of India|Indian Independence]] he was sworn in as Home Minister in the cabinet of the state of Punjab. At the same time the capital of the Punjab was shifted from [[Shimla]] to [[Jalandhar]].{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

On 13 May 1952 he resigned his position here when Jawaharlal Nehru included him in the central cabinet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pu.edu.pk/psc/journal/PDF-FILES/Artical%20-%202.pdf|title=Pakistan Study Centre|website=Pu.edu.pk|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54v11p2/d1007|title=Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Africa and South Asia, Volume XI, Part 2 - Office of the Historian|website=History.state.gov|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref>

=== In the central government ===
He entered the cabinet of India's first prime minister, [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], in 1952, and was that government's last surviving member.

He spent 23 years of his life as a high ranking Cabinet Minister in the Government of India. He had a reputation for being an effective debater and negotiator. "His debates at the UN Security Council on Bangladesh's cause, when East Pakistan liberation war (1971) was in full swing, were impressive," attests Former Indian ambassador to the United Nations, Narendra P Jain, "He proved to be more than just a match for his then Pakistani counterpart Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. During one of the council debates when Bhutto said that Sardar's hands are full of blood in conflict, Swarn Singh got up and showed his clean, spotless hands."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/indore/swarn-singh-had-precision-vajpayee-an-instinctive-feel-while-rao-had-hand-on-pulse/story-iQN1gizb5b4psXlzc6SKEM.html|title=Swarn Singh had precision, Vajpayee an instinctive feel, while Rao had hand on pulse|date=12 July 2015|website=Hindustan Times|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref> He was familiar with and was a proficient speaker of several languages. He assisted Jawaharlal Nehru in his talks with the Chinese leader Zhou Enlai, on the Indo-China border question in 1960. He was in the Indian delegation during the six rounds of talks with Pakistan in 1962–63.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jalandharies.com/Jewels%20of%20Jalandhar/Sardar_Swarn_singh.htm |title=Jewels of Jalandhar |access-date=2016-02-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215230211/http://www.jalandharies.com/Jewels%20of%20Jalandhar/Sardar_Swarn_singh.htm |archive-date=15 February 2016 }}</ref>

He remained a part of successive governments until he resigned in November 1975.

He was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] in 1957, 1962, 1967 and 1972.

=== Cabinet positions ===
To this date he is the second longest-serving union cabinet minister in India.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}} Babu Jajgivan Ram holds the record for maximum duration as cabinet minister, i.e., more than 29 years, but the record for longest consistent and uninterrupted membership of the cabinet in continuation is held by Mr. Swaran Singh.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ministry !! Date
|-
| Works, Housing and Supplies || 1952–1957
|-
| Steel Mines and Fuel || 1957–1962
|-
| Agriculture ||1963–1964
|-
| Railways || 1962–1963
|-
| External Affairs || 1964–1966
|-
| Defence || 1966–1970
|-
| External Affairs || 1970–1974
|-
| Defence || 1974–1976
|}

He is best known for his role as India's external affairs minister.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

He was also president of the National Congress in 1969, and 1978.{{Citation needed|date= January 2018}}

=== External Affairs Minister ===
He visited the USSR in July 1966 along with then Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]].

On 9 August 1971, he signed "The Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation between the USSR and the Republic of India" which provided for closer contacts between the two countries in economic, political cultural and other fields. The treaty was also a defense pact under with both countries were obliged to come to each other's assistance in the event go a conflict with a third country. This treaty was binding for 20 years and was co signed by [[Andrei Gromyko]]<ref>{{cite news |work=The Times|date=1971-08-10}}</ref>

He led the Indian delegation to the UN general assembly in 1971 to explain India's position in the ongoing war with Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y15JJJJBvZc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/y15JJJJBvZc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=SYND 11-12-71 INTERVIEW WITH INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SWARAN SINGH IN LONDON|date=23 July 2015|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LogNXoCQ700 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/LogNXoCQ700 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=INDIA WALKOUT – SOUND|date=21 July 2015|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[George H. W. Bush]], who at the time was the US ambassador to the UN and led the US delegation at the UN Security Council, demanded an unconditional cease fire by India, to which Swaran Singh responded, "this one sided and partisan attitude of the distinguished representative of the United States has shocked and surprised us. The US is entitled to its own opinions and interpretations, so are we. But facts are facts and must be stated. Right from the beginning of this unfortunate situation that has arisen in the subcontinent, India had been asking for a political settlement acceptable to elected and acknowledged representatives of the people of Bangladesh."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_OeO_VOGZI|title=YouTube|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref>

On 16 December 1971, East Pakistan troops there surrendered to joint forces of Bangladesh and India, who had seized the capital city of Dacca (now Dhaka).<ref name="auto">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/01/obituaries/swaran-singh-87-spokesman-for-india-during-war-in-1971.html|title=Swaran Singh, 87, Spokesman For India During War in 1971|first=Eric|last=Pace|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 1994 |access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref>

=== Swaran Singh Committee ===
[[File:Trip of Indira Gandi to Iran.jpg|thumb|right|(L-R) Sardar Swaran Singh, [[Mohammad Amir Khatami]], [[Indira Gandhi]], Khatami's  wife, and [[Asadollah Alam]] during his trip to Iran]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|date=9 April 2015 |title=Swaran Singh committee recommends new chapter on fundamental duties in the Constitution|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19760715-swaran-singh-committee-recommends-new-chapter-on-fundamental-duties-in-the-constitution-819235-2015-04-09|access-date=2021-06-19|magazine=India Today|language=en}}</ref>

Sardar Swaran Singh was chairperson of the committee entrusted with the responsibility of studying the [[Constitution of India]] in 1976 during the national emergency.<ref name=":0" /> Soon after the declaration of the national emergency, [[Indira Gandhi]] constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of Sardar Swaran Singh to study the question of amending the constitution in the light of past experiences. Based on its recommendations, the government incorporated several changes to the Constitution including the Preamble, through the [[Forty-second Amendment of the Constitution of India]] (passed in 1976 and came into effect on 3 January 1977)<ref name=":0" />

=== Awards ===
He was awarded [[Padma Vibhushan]] award – the second highest civil award by the republic of India in 1992.[http://india.gov.in/myindia/padmavibhushan_awards_list1.php]

=== The Eminent Persons Group on South Africa ===
{{Unreferenced section|date= January 2018}}
Sardar Swaran Singh met with [[Nelson Mandela]] in prison three times in the mid-1980s. He was a member of the eminent persons group on South Africa sponsored by the [[Commonwealth Institute]] that consisted of [[Malcolm Fraser]] who had been Prime Minister of Australia for eight years, General Obasanjo of Nigeria, [[Anthony Barber|Lord Barber]] who had been Edward Heath's Chancellor of the Exchequer and was also chairman of the Standard Chartered Bank, Dame Nita Barrow, Reverend Scott and [[John Malecela]], a Tanzanian former government minister.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.commonwealthofnations.org/commonwealth/eminent-persons-group/ | title=Eminent Persons Group }}</ref> The group went to South Africa and spent five weeks there to collect information, interact with local people, and met with [[Nelson Mandela]] and the ANC; their findings were published by the Commonwealth Institute entitled "Mission to South Africa: the Commonwealth Report".

=== UNESCO Boards of Directors ===
Sardar Swaran Singh served as a member of board of directors from 1985 – 1989 for sessions 123 – 132.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/cp-nav.asp?country=IN|title=India – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization|website=Unesco.org|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.indian/tree/browse_frm/month/1994-11/a8c25e150ad162ed?rnum=191&_done=%2Fgroup%2Fsoc.culture.indian%2Fbrowse_frm%2Fmonth%2F1994-11%3F#doc_6b937a92b4bf28d6 Obituary]
*[http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/personalities/swaransingh.html On Swaran Singh at Sikh-History.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191827/http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/personalities/swaransingh.html |date=3 March 2016 }}
* [http://www.pu.edu.pk/psc/journal/PDF-FILES/Artical%20-%202.pdf Detailed Article on his life history]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Jagjivan Ram]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]]|years=1962–1963}}
{{s-aft|after=[[H. C. Dasappa]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Lal Bahadur Shastri]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Minister for External Affairs of India]]|years=1964–1966}}
{{s-aft|after=[[M C Chagla]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Yashwantrao Chavan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]|years=1966–1970}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jagjivan Ram]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Dinesh Singh (Uttar Pradesh politician)|Dinesh Singh]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Minister for External Affairs of India]]|years=1970–1974}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Yashwantrao Chavan]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Jagjivan Ram]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]|years=1974–1975}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Bansi Lal]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{External Affairs Ministers of India}}
{{Defence Ministers of India}}
{{Ministry of Commerce and Industry (India)}}
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{Sikh politics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Sardar Swaran}}
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:1907 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:Punjabi Sikhs]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in public affairs]]
[[Category:Railway ministers of India]]
[[Category:India MPs 1957–1962]]
[[Category:India MPs 1962–1967]]
[[Category:India MPs 1967–1970]]
[[Category:India MPs 1971–1977]]
[[Category:Ministers for external affairs of India]]
[[Category:Agriculture ministers of India]]
[[Category:Guru Nanak Dev University alumni]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Shiromani Akali Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Panthic Party politicians]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Ministers of defence of India]]
[[Category:People from Jalandhar district]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress (U) politicians]]