Suresh Kalmadi, Former Union Minister & Senior Congress Leader, Dies In Pune

Pune: Former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi died on Tuesday (January 3) after prolonged illness in Maharashtra's Pune. He was undergoing treatment at Pune's Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. He breathed his last at around 3:30 am on Monday.

Kalmadi's remains will be kept at Kalmadi House, Erandwane, until 2 pm and cremation will take place at Vaikunth smashanbhumi, Navi Peth, Pune, at 3.30 pm.

He was also a former chairman of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Kalmadi is survived by his wife, a married son, daughter-in-law, two married daughters, son-in-law, and grandchildren.

Old Video Of Kalmadi:

Kalmadi was a prominent political figure from Pune. He represented the city multiple times in the Lok Sabha. He held several key positions during his political career and was associated with sports administration at the national level for many years.

In 1977, Kalmadi became the president of the Indian Youth Congress, Pune, and the next year took over President-ship of the Youth Congress. Kalmadi served as president of the Indian Youth Congress (Socialist) 1981–1986.

In 1980, as the president of the Maharashtra Athletics Association, he also undertook the selection trials for the Marathon team to represent the country at the Moscow Olympics.

He was a member of the Rajya Sabha for three terms from 1982 to 1996, and again in 1998. He was also elected to the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996, and to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004. During the tenure of P V Narasimha Rao as the Prime Minister, Kalmadi served as the Minister of State for Railways from 1995 to 1996.

Kalmadi also appointed as the president of the Indian Olympic Association in 1996 and held the post till 2012.