Singh, Khushwant (1915-2014), was an Indian novelist, historian, and journalist who wrote many books on Punjab history, Sikhism, and modern Indian politics. Singh became best known in the West for his first two novels. Train to Pakistan (1956) outlines the conflicts among Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs in a town near the border between India and Pakistan in 1947, during the first days of the new nations’ separate existence. I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale (1959) deals with the dilemma of Indian resistance to British rule during World War II (1939-1945).
Singh wrote a number of books on the history of the Punjab region and people. A History of the Sikhs 1469-1964 (2 volumes, 1963, 1966) is his most scholarly historical work. Singh later concentrated on the current politics of the region. Tragedy of the Punjab: Operation Bluestar and After (1984) and My Bleeding Punjab (1992) both discuss the modern problems of the Punjab.
Singh wrote many books on Indian politics and society. He edited collections of stories and translated a number of books from Indian languages into English. Singh was one of India’s most prominent columnists and reviewers. He was known for his outspoken views on aspects of Indian life, as well as for his support of Urdu poets and other writers. His short stories were published as The Collected Short Stories of Khushwant Singh (1989). His essays and nonfiction appeared in such collections as Need for a New Religion in India and Other Essays (1991) and Sex, Scotch, and Scholarship (1992).
Khushwant Singh was born on Feb. 2, 1915, in Hadali, in what is now the Punjab province of Pakistan. He was educated at Government College in Lahore, Pakistan, and at Kings College, London, where he gained a law degree. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in London in 1938. He worked as a lawyer, editor, and broadcaster. Singh edited the Illustrated Weekly of India from 1969 to 1978 as well as a number of other periodicals. He taught at a number of universities outside India, including Princeton University in the United States and Oxford University in England. Singh wrote an autobiography, Truth, Love, and a Little Malice (2001). Singh died on March 20, 2014.
