Five-time Chief Minister of Punjab and patron of Shiromani Akali Dal Parkash Singh Badal passed away at the age of 95 on Tuesday night at 8 pm. He was called the pioneer of Hindu-Sikh unity in Punjab. Parkash Singh Badal was admitted to Fortis Hospital in Mohali only last week after he complained of breathlessness. He was shifted to ICU on Friday. He breathed his last at around eight o’clock on Tuesday night.
Parkash Singh Badal entered politics in 1947. Badal won the first assembly election in 1957. In the year 1969, Parkash Singh Badal became MLA again. Parkash Singh Badal was the Chief Minister of Punjab from 1970–71, 1977–80, 1997–2002. He was also the Leader of the Opposition in 1972, 1980 and 2002. Parkash Singh Badal was also a Member of Parliament and a minister at the Centre. From March 1, 2007 to 2017, he held the responsibility of Chief Minister twice.
Parkash Singh Badal was the youngest and oldest Chief Minister of Punjab. He took oath as Chief Minister for the first time in 1970 at the age of 43. Then he became the youngest CM of Punjab. In 2012, at the age of 84, Badal was sworn in as the oldest Chief Minister.
The Government of India honored Parkash Singh Badal with the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian honor in 2015.
