Veteran Congress Leader and Former Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi Passes Away in Pune

Pune: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi passed away in Pune following a prolonged illness, marking the end of a long political and administrative career that spanned several decades. He was undergoing treatment at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and breathed his last in the early hours of the day, according to family sources.

Kalmadi’s mortal remains will be kept at his residence in Erandwane for the public to pay their last respects before the final rites are conducted later in the day at Vaikunth crematorium in Pune.

A well-known face in Maharashtra politics, Kalmadi was closely identified with Pune, which he represented multiple times in Parliament. Over the years, he held several important positions both in politics and sports administration, giving him a national profile beyond electoral politics.

Kalmadi began his political journey through the Youth Congress, rising to become its national president in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His early career reflected a strong organisational base, especially among the youth wing of the Congress party. He later went on to serve multiple terms in the Rajya Sabha and was also elected to the Lok Sabha on more than one occasion.

During the mid-1990s, when P.V. Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister, Kalmadi served as Minister of State for Railways, gaining experience in the Union government. Parallel to his political career, he remained deeply involved in sports administration. He played a key role in athletics administration in Maharashtra and was associated with India’s Olympic movement for many years.

In 1996, Kalmadi took over as president of the Indian Olympic Association, a position he held for over a decade, making him one of the longest-serving figures in Indian sports administration. His tenure kept him in the public eye and linked his name closely with national-level sporting institutions.