Former Indian prime minister Inder Kumar Gujral has passed away after a long illness in a hospital near the capital, Delhi, aged 92.
Gujral was admitted to the hospital in Gurgaon on 19 November and was suffering from a lung infection.
He became India’s 12th prime minister, heading a United Front coalition government in 1997.
During his 11-month tenure, he worked at improving India’s frosty relationship with archrival Pakistan.
Gujral was also known for his strategic vision of India’s role in its neighbourhood.
Known as “Gujral doctrine”, the vision held that India should go the extra mile with its neighbours without expecting reciprocity, as long as they did not endanger India’s security, analysts say.
Gujral was often called an “accidental prime minister” because he assumed power after the Congress party withdrew support to the United Front coalition government led by prime minister HD Deve Gowda.
Source: The Daily Star
