Former Union minister Jaswant Singh, a close associate of ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, died in New Delhi on Sunday following a long spell of illness. He was 82.
Also read | Obituary: Jaswant Singh's long journey from an Army man to a parliamentarian
Singh, a former Army officer, had been ill after a fall at his home in August 2014 and was admitted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital. He had been in and out of the hospital and was admitted again in June this year.
“It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Hon’ble Major Jaswant Singh (Retd), former Cabinet Minister of Government of India at 6.55 a.m. on September 27, 2020. He was admitted on June 25, 2020 and being treated for Sepsis with Multiorgan Dysfunction Syndrome and effects of Severe Head Injury old (Optd) had a cardiac arrest this morning,” the hospital said in a statement.
Despite the best efforts of the attending team of specialists to resuscitate him, he could not be revived and passed away, it added.
His funeral will take place later on Sunday at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, family sources said.
Singh, considered close to Vajpayee and veteran leader L.K. Advani, held defence, finance and external affairs portfolios in the Vajpayee government.
He had fought the 2014 Lok Sabha election as an independent candidate after the BJP did not give him ticket, but lost.
PM Modi pays tribute
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders paid rich tributes to Singh, saying that he served India diligently and will be remembered for his unique perspective on matters of politics and society.
Condoling his death, PM Modi said, “Jaswant Singh Ji served our nation diligently, first as a soldier and later during his long association with politics. During Atal Ji’s Government, he handled crucial portfolios and left a strong mark in the worlds of finance, defence and external affairs. Saddened by his demise.”
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