Kuldip Nayar paid rich tributes

Glowing tributes were paid to late journalist-writer Kuldip Nayar on the occasion of the launch of his last book at a function here on Friday night.

India's senior federal minister Arun Jaitley describing him as an "iconic political journalist" who withstood government pressure and became the voice of the media fraternity during the Emergency in 1975.

Kuldip Nayar died in August last year at the age of 95.

Releasing the book "On Leaders and Icons from Jinnah to Modi" by Nayar Jaitley, who attended the event through video link from New York where he is recuperating, said Nayar was a newsman with an ability to sniff out scoops.

The event was also attended by former Indian Law minister Kapil Sibal of the Congress, serving Indian minister for Urban Development and Housing Hardeep Singh Puri, Janata Dal (United) leader and writer Pavan Varma and diplomat Navtej Sarna. 

Jaitley said some of Nayar's most significant contributions came during the Emergency.

"During the Emergency, when press censorship was imposed, and when the journalistic fraternity was looking for a leader, he became the natural choice. Therefore, he stood out, suffered detention, fought out in the courts, after some time got released, never looked back and never compromised his views," Jaitley said.

Nayar's book launch was also expected to be attended by former PM Manmohan Singh who declined to attend due to a reference to him in a chapter in the book which says during his tenure as PM, government files used to go to Sonia Gandhi, who was not a part of the government. Singh denied the allegation.