K D Sharma, former high commissioner to Pakistan, shot himself dead in his east Delhi apartment on Thursday morning apparently depressed over his poor health conditions, the police said.
Sharma was India's envoy to Islamabad in the 1980s when military ruler Zia-ul-Haq was at the helm of affairs in the neighbouring country.
The 79-year-old former IFS officer used his licenced revolver to end his life at his flat in Madhupan Apartments in Preet Vihar at around 11 am, a senior police official said.
He was undergoing treatment for some serious stomach ailment and was under depression due to health concerns.
"We received a call at around 11.10 am," the official said.
A suicide note was recovered from Sharma's room in which he claimed that he took the extreme step as he was not able to cope up with the illness.