Former Union minister Suresh Kalmadi passes away at 81; funeral today in Pune | Pune News

Former Union minister and ex-IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi passes away in Pune

PUNE: Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi passed away at the age of 81 after a prolonged illness. He was undergoing treatment at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune.

According to his office, Kalmadi’s mortal remains will be kept at Kalmadi House in Erandwane till 2 pm to allow people to pay their last respects. The cremation will be held at Vaikunth smashanbhumi in Navi Peth, Pune, at 3.30 pm. Kalmadi was a veteran politician and sports administrator who served as the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and played a key role in India’s sports administration for several years. He came under national scrutiny in connection with the 2010 Commonwealth Games corruption case and was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged misappropriation of Games funds. He was arrested in April 2011, following which the Congress suspended him from the party. Despite the controversy, Kalmadi continued to wield influence in sports bodies. In 2016, he and Abhay Singh Chautala were appointed life presidents of the IOA by a panel of over 150 members. However, after the Union sports minister sought a probe into the decision, Kalmadi declined the honour, stating in a letter to then IOA president N Ramachandran that the timing was not appropriate for him to accept the post. Before entering politics, Kalmadi served in the Indian Air Force as a pilot from 1964 to 1972, and retired from service in 1974. He later entered public life and went on to serve as Minister of State for Railways between 1995 and 1996 during a Congress-led government.