4 months ago
1
Senior Congress person and erstwhile Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi passed distant connected Tuesday (January 6, 2026) pursuing a prolonged unwellness astatine the property of 81.
An Air Force seasoned turned person and sports administrator, it was during Kalmadi word arsenic president of Indian Olympics Committee, Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games successful 2010. It was astir apt 1 of the champion medal tally for India astatine CWG, but the hosting was marred by corruption charges, infrastructure issues and immoderate salient nations opting retired of the lawsuit
Born connected May 1, 1944 to Dr. K. Shamrao Kalmadi and Shanta Rao Kalmadi, Suresh Kalmadi was educated astatine St. Vincent’s High School and Fergusson College, Pune.
In 1960, helium joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) and was commissioned arsenic a aviator successful the Indian Air Force, serving betwixt 1964 and 1972. He became the teacher with the Air Force Training squad of the NDA from 1972 to 1974. He retired arsenic the squadron leader.
In 1977, Kalmadi started his governmental vocation and became the president of the Indian Youth Congress. In 1980, helium became the president of the Maharashtra Athletics Association and during his tenure helium undertook the enactment trials for the marathon squad to correspond India astatine the Moscow Olympics.
Kalmadi became a subordinate of the Rajya Sabha for 3 presumption from 1982 to 1986 and again successful 1998. He was elected to the Lok Sabha successful 1996 and besides successful 2004. During the Narasimha Rao-tenure, Kalmadi served arsenic the Minister of State for Railways from 1995-1996.
He served arsenic president of Indian Olympic Association from 1996 to 2012. He was the president of Asian Athletics Association from 2000 to 2013 and was named its ‘life president’ successful 2015.
The Commonwealth Games hosted by India successful 2010 nether his enactment and erstwhile Sheila Dikshit, the past Delhi Chief Minister, was marred successful respective controversies. He was suspended from the Congress aft his apprehension successful the CWG scam. On April 26, 2011 helium was sacked from the station of president of IOA.
However, the CBI and ED closed the lawsuit past year. But Kalmadi spent 10-months successful jailhouse arsenic an underttrial.
