Veteran Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa passed away on Wednesday evening at 89 after a prolonged illness, marking the end of an era in Punjab’s political landscape. He had parted ways with the SAD led by Sukhbir Singh Badal and was with the party’s rebel faction.
Dhindsa died at Fortis Hospital in Mohali. He was suffering from severe pneumonia and cardiac complications. He is survived by his wife, son Parminder Singh Dhindsa, who was finance minister in the erstwhile SAD-BJP government, and two daughters.
A medical bulletin issued by the hospital stated that Dhindsa was admitted on May 27 in a critical condition. “He was suffering from severe pneumonia and cardiac complications, compounded by age related health issues. Despite the best efforts of the multidisciplinary medical team, he passed away at approximately 5:05 PM today due to cardiac arrhythmia and cardiac arrest,” it read.
Born on April 9, 1936, in Ubhawal village of Sangrur district, Dhindsa studied at Government Ranbir College in Sangrur where he joined student poltics. Dhindsa became the president of the student council of his college and later the youngest sarpanch of Ubhawal. He was then elected as block samiti member and in 1972 he won from the Dhanaula assembly constituency, which was then in Sangrur district but is now in Barnala, as an independent candidate. After winning the polls, he joined the Akali Dal and won from the Sunam assembly segment in 1977. He was an MLA four times.
Dhindsa was a minister in the SAD government in Punjab and held various portfolios including transport, sports and tourism.