{{Short description|Indian diplomat (1932–2009)}} {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = S. K. Singh | image = Governor of Arunachal Pradesh S.K. Singh (cropped).jpg | caption = S. Singh | alt = | order = 17th | office = Governor of Rajasthan | 1blankname = Chief Minister | 1namedata = [[Vasundhara Raje]] <br/> [[Ashok Gehlot]] | term_start = 6 September 2007 | term_end = 1 December 2009 | predecessor = [[Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai]] | successor = [[Prabha Rau]] | order1 = 12th | office1 = Governor of Arunachal Pradesh | 1blankname1 = Chief Minister | 1namedata1 = [[Dorjee Khandu]] | term_start1 = 15 April 2007 | term_end1 = 3 September 2007 | predecessor1 = [[K. Sankaranarayanan]] (Acting) | successor1 = K. Sankaranarayanan (Acting) | 1blankname2 = Chief Minister | 1namedata2 = [[Gegong Apang]] | term_start2 = 16 December 2004 | term_end2 = 23 January 2007 | predecessor2 = [[V. C. Pande]] | successor2 = [[M. M. Jacob]] (Acting) | office3 = 16th [[Indian Foreign Secretary|Foreign Secretary of India]] | prime_minister3 = [[Rajiv Gandhi]] <br/> [[Vishwanath Pratap Singh]] | minister3 = [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]] <br/> Vishwanath Pratap Singh <br/> [[Inder Kumar Gujral]] | term_start3 = 16 February 1989 | term_end3 = 19 April 1990 | predecessor3 = K. P. S. Menon Jr. | successor3 = [[Muchkund Dubey]] | birth_name = Shilendra Kumar Singh | birth_date = {{Birth date |df=yes|1932|1|24}} | death_date = {{Death date and age |df=yes|2009|12|1|1932|1|24}} | death_place = [[Delhi]], India | spouse = Manju Singh | children = Shashank, Kanishka }} '''Shilendra Kumar Singh''' or '''S.K. Singh''' (24 January 1932 – 1 December 2009) was an Indian diplomat. He was [[Governor of Arunachal Pradesh]] from December 2004 to September 2007 and [[Governor of Rajasthan]] from September 2007 until he died in office in December 2009.
Singh was [[Indian Foreign Secretary]] from 1989 to 1990. Prior to becoming Governor of [[Arunachal Pradesh]], he was secretary-general of a [[think tank]] in Delhi, the University of Pennsylvania Institute for the Advanced Study of India. He was appointed Governor of [[Rajasthan]] on 19 August 2007,<ref name=Tiwari>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121018055632/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-08-20/india/27976001_1_nagaland-governor-b-l-joshi-t-n-chaturvedi "Tiwari appointed new Andhra governor"], IST, TNN (''The Times of India''), 20 August 2007.</ref> left his position as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh on 4 September 2007,<ref>[http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200709041866.htm "Sankaranarayan takes additional charge as Arunachal Governor"], PTI (''The Hindu''), 4 September 2007.</ref> and was sworn in as Governor of Rajasthan on 6 September.<ref>[http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200709061551.htm "S.K. Singh takes oath as Governor of Rajasthan"], PTI (''The Hindu''), 6 September 2007.</ref>
==Early life and education== He was the son of a nationalist zamindar of the erstwhile United Provinces, and a former Dewan of [[Alwar]]. A topper throughout school and college, he was an alumnus of [[St John's College, Agra]] which is affiliated to [[Agra University]] where he received a bachelor's degree in history, Sanskrit and Hindi. He attended the [[Agra University]] and received a master's degree in history and an LLB Degree. Thereafter he read Persian and International Law at [[Trinity College, Cambridge]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/S-K-Singh-A-diplomat-who-avoided-Indo-Pak-war/articleshow/5289612.cms|title= SK Singh's education|website=www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india|access-date=2019-12-03}}</ref>
He was married to Manju Singh. His younger son [[Kanishka Singh]] is a political aide to [[Rahul Gandhi]] and his elder son, Shashank Singh, has an MBA from Harvard University, and currently works as an investment banker in Mumbai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022057410500.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107085614/http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/20/stories/2009022057410500.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-11-07 |work=[[The Hindu]] |title=Archive News |date=2009-02-20 |accessdate=2016-12-01}}</ref>
==Career== ===Gubernatorial tenure=== While in [[Arunachal Pradesh]], Singh was an extremely vocal advocate articulating that Arunachal Pradesh is a non-negotiable part of sovereign India.<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/14/asia/AS_GEN_India_China_Disputed_Territory.php "India rejects China's claim to its northeastern region ahead of Chinese president's visit"], AP (''The International Herald Tribune''), 14 November 2006.</ref> He also crusaded for the [[Inner Line Permit]] and restricted area permit required for travel to Arunachal Pradesh to be abolished.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110525203937/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050222/asp/northeast/story_4408096.asp "Governor fuels debate on ILP"], (''The Telegraph''), 22 February 2005.</ref> In addition, he worked hard for ensuring connectivity of Arunachal Pradesh with the rest of India by building an airport in the state, constructing a railway line and improving the road network.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110713025638/http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20060725/16079.htm "No cars please, we only know helicopters!"], (''India e News''), 25 July 2006.</ref>
===Career as a diplomat=== In February 1989, Singh was appointed Foreign Secretary of India. He held the personal rank of Grade-I Ambassador, the highest in the [[Indian Foreign Service]]. Prior to becoming Foreign Secretary, he was India's longest serving Ambassador to [[Pakistan]] from 1985 until 1989. He also served as Ambassador to [[Austria]] from 1982 to 1985, Additional Foreign Secretary from 1979 to 1982, Ambassador to [[Afghanistan]] from 1977 to 1979 and Ambassador concurrently to [[Jordan]], [[Lebanon]] and [[Cyprus]] from 1974 to 1977. He was the longest-serving Official Spokesman of the Government of India from 1969 to 1974. In 1968–69 he served in the Ministry of Commerce as Director Foreign Trade.
Singh began his career in the Indian Foreign Service in 1954. From 1956 to 1959, he was Third Secretary in [[Iran]] and concurrently attended the Tehran University to study the Persian language. From 1959 to 1962 he was assigned to various desks in the Foreign Office in Delhi. From 1962 to 1968 he was a member of the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York.
Singh was President of the [[Group of 77]] and also served as India's Governor on the Board of Governors of the [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] in Vienna. Singh has been a member of 19 Indian delegations to the [[UN General Assembly]] and the [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]]. Singh has monitored for the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] and the United Nations, general elections in South Africa, [[Kenya]], [[Algeria]], [[Lesotho]], [[Malawi]] and [[Sierra Leone]] <ref>[http://www.thecommonwealth.org/press/31555/34582/140745/commonwealth_to_observe_presidential_and_parliamen.htm "Commonwealth to Observe Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Sierra Leone"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605025848/http://www.thecommonwealth.org/press/31555/34582/140745/commonwealth_to_observe_presidential_and_parliamen.htm |date=5 June 2011 }}, Commonwealth Secretariat, 16 February 1996.</ref> and the presidential election in [[Sri Lanka]]. Singh is rated among the most distinguished in his generation of Indian diplomats.
Singh has taught history at Agra University. He was a Visiting Professor and Member of the Academic Council of [[Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi|Jawaharlal Nehru University]], Delhi.
===Commentator=== Singh was a frequent writer and commentator on international relations, geopolitics and current developments.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040109234436/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/south/10/29/india.pakistan.proposals/ "India, Pakistan edge towards deal"], CNN, 30 October 2003.</ref>
==Death== He died at [[Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (India)|Sir Ganga Ram Hospital]] in [[Delhi]] on 1 December 2009, aged 77, after a brief illness.<ref name="S.K. Singh, Rajasthan Governor, dead">{{cite news |last1=The Hindu |date=2 December 2009 |title=S.K. Singh, Rajasthan Governor, dead |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/S.K.-Singh-Rajasthan-Governor-dead/article16851174.ece |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115160617/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/S.K.-Singh-Rajasthan-Governor-dead/article16851174.ece |archivedate=15 January 2024 |accessdate=15 January 2024 |work= |language=en-IN}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080129145916/http://www.rajasthan.gov.in/rajgovt/keypeopleprofile/governer.html Profile on Rajasthan Government website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20061008140801/http://www.modernhistoryproject.org/mhp/EntityDisplay.php?Entity=SinghSK Profile on Modern History Project] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080122113223/http://www.sarkaritel.com/states/rajasthan/governor.htm Contact Information] * [https://archive.today/20070502150628/http://casi.ssc.upenn.edu//upiasi/sksingh.html Profile on UPIASI website]
{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before=[[K. D. Sharma]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[High Commissioner of India to Pakistan]]|years=1985-1989}} {{s-aft|after=[[J. N. Dixit]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[K. P. S. Menon Jr.]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Foreign Secretary of India]]|years=1989-1990}} {{s-aft|after=[[Muchukund Dubey]]}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=[[V. C. Pande]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Governors of Arunachal Pradesh|Governor of Arunachal Pradesh]]|years=2004–2007}} {{s-aft|after=[[K. Sankaranarayanan]]}} {{s-end}}
{{Governors of Rajasthan}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Shilendra Kumar}} [[Category:1932 births]] [[Category:2009 deaths]] [[Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge]] [[Category:Ambassadors of India to Afghanistan]] [[Category:Ambassadors of India to Lebanon]] [[Category:Governors of Arunachal Pradesh]] [[Category:Governors of Rajasthan]] [[Category:High commissioners of India to Cyprus]] [[Category:Foreign secretaries of India]] [[Category:Indian civil servants]] [[Category:International Atomic Energy Agency officials]] [[Category:People from Agra]] [[Category:Ambassadors of India to Austria]] [[Category:High commissioners of India to Pakistan]] [[Category:Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University alumni]] [[Category:Spokespersons for the Ministry of External Affairs of India]]