Mumbai, January 6 (HS): Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Suresh Kalmadi passed away early Tuesday morning at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune. He was 82. Kalmadi had been admitted to the hospital a few days ago for treatment. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law, two married daughters, son-in-law and grandchildren.

His mortal remains have been kept at his residence, Kalmadi House in Pune, for people to pay their last respects. The last rites will be performed this evening at the Vaikunth crematorium in Navi Peth, Pune.

Born on May 1, 1944, Suresh Kalmadi was an Indian Air Force pilot before entering politics. He served as a Rajya Sabha member from 1982 to 1996 and contested the Lok Sabha elections in 1996 and 2004. He also served as Minister of State for Railways and remained a prominent Member of Parliament from Pune for a long period.

Apart from politics, Kalmadi made a significant mark in the field of sports administration. Through initiatives such as the Pune Festival and Pune Marathon, he helped bring global recognition to the city. He also served as president of the Indian Olympic Association, during whose tenure India hosted the Commonwealth Games.

However, he later faced allegations related to irregularities in the Commonwealth Games and was arrested in 2011, following which he was suspended from the party. This episode effectively brought an end to his political career. Around 15 years later, the Enforcement Directorate filed a closure report in court, giving him a clean chit. Though his supporters celebrated the decision, by then his political career had already ended. Kalmadi had been suffering from illness for some time, and his demise has cast a pall of gloom over Pune’s political and social circles.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar