President Droupadi Murmu has condoled the passing away of former Indian Information Service (IIS) officer S M Khan and said he upheld high standards of public communication with utmost dedication during his distinguished career.

In a letter to Shahnaz Khan, the deceased officer's wife, the President said Khan will always be remembered for combining professionalism with amiability which won him countless friends. Khan, a 1982 batch former IIS officer, died at a private hospital on Sunday after a brief illness. He was 67.

His burial and last rites were performed in his hometown Khurja in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. “Shri Khan was a renowned Indian Information Service officer and communicator par excellence. In his distinguished official career, including as the Press Secretary to former President of India A P J Abdul Kalam, he upheld high standards of public communication with utmost dedication. He will always be remembered for combining professionalism with amiability which won him countless friends,” Murmu said.

She also offered condolences to her and other family members.  “I pray to the almighty to give you and your family the strength to bear this loss,” said the letter dated November 18.

Khan was a prominent figure in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), serving as the longest-serving information officer for the federal agency from 1989 to 2002. Throughout his tenure, he became the face of the CBI, regularly addressing the media on high-profile cases, including the Bofors scandal and stock exchange scams among others.

Following his extensive service with the CBI, Khan was appointed as the Press Secretary to the late President A P J Abdul Kalam, a role in which he further solidified his reputation in public communication.