Pune, Jan 6: Veteran Congress leader, former Union minister, and senior sports administrator Suresh Kalmadi passed away in Pune early Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was 81. Family sources said he breathed his last around 3.30 am.
Kalmadi served as Union Minister of State for Railways and was a former president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and a former Indian Air Force pilot, he also took part in the 1971 India-Bangladesh war.
A four-time Rajya Sabha and three-time Lok Sabha MP from Pune, Kalmadi played a key role in the city’s development, including projects like the Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune Festival, Pune International Marathon, and the Pune Metro.
He headed the IOA from 1996 to 2011 and was instrumental in hosting major sporting events such as the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Tributes poured in from leaders across party lines, remembering him as a seasoned public figure who left a lasting impact on Pune’s political, cultural, and sports landscape. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
