Eminent jurist LM Singhvi dead

NEW DELHI: Noted jurist, parliamentarian and diplomat Laxmi Mall Singhvi passed away here on Saturday, leaving behind a long trail of achievements in diverse fields. He was 76. He had been hospitalised for over a fortnight following a recent illness. Singhvi is survived by his wife Kamla, son Abhishek and daughter Abhilasha. Abhishek, a well-known lawyer, is a member of the Rajya Sabha and one of the Congress spokespersons.

Apart from his distinguished record as a legal expert, Singhvi was associated with a number of institutions and initiatives. A gifted speaker, he could dwell on a vast range of subjects and interests effortlessly. He will be missed in diverse circles given his many interests and the passion with which he pursued those. He was deeply involved in literary and cultural activities, having served as the chairman of the prestigious Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust.

In recognition of his contributions, The Times Group portal www.indiatimes.com has created a site to receive condolences for Singhvi. Condoling his death, President Pratibha Patil recalled his involvement in nation building. She said in Singhvi’s death, "the nation has lost a prominent constitutional expert, renowned scholar, a distinguished diplomat and an able parliamentarian."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that Singhvi was a "distinguished jurist, scholar and diplomat." Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee described Singhvi as "Saraswati putra."

Singhvi authored a number of books. Among them ‘Freedom on Trial’, ‘An Examination of the Human Rights Issues’ and ‘Democracy and Rule of Law’. He was elected to the third Lok Sabha as an independent from Jodhpur in 1962 and to the Rajya Sabha in 1998, and was also a senior advocate of the Supreme Court.

Elected to the Supreme Court Bar Association for several terms, he was associated with the framing of the constitutions of Bangladesh, Nepal and South Africa. Singhvi was invited by UNDP to advise many countries in Africa on how to sustain and strengthen democracy through rule of law.

While serving as the Indian High Commissioner to the UK between 1991 and 1997 he took many initiatives to improve the bilateral ties by promoting closer academic contacts. He was awarded the Ambassador of Excellence award and also the U Thant peace prize.