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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's long journey: Sarpanch to Union minister, Akali Dal stalwart to key rebel
The passing away of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) stalwart Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa not only marks an end of an era in Punjab politics but also deepens the uncertainty surrounding the future of the party. Dhindsa, 89, was among the few surviving members of a generation that shaped regional politics in Punjab with his grassroots credibility and administrative acumen. Born in a humble farming family in Ubhawal in 1936, Dhindsa's journey from being the youngest sarpanch in Sangrur district at 22 to becoming a Union minister was nothing short of extraordinary. A three-time Rajya Sabha MP, one-time Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur, Dhindsa was seen to be a clean politician who stood by his commitment to principled politics. He had been a member of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led Union Cabinet in the past. Dhindsa made headlines in 2020 when he said he would return his Padma Bhushan award in solidarity with farmers who were then protesting against the now-repealed central farm laws. For SAD, which has been grappling with factionalism, electoral losses and a dwindling support base, Dhindsa's demise signifies a leadership vacuum that may prove difficult to fill – both symbolically and organisationally. Though Dhindsa was expelled from the SAD twice during his decades-long political career, he commanded respect across party ranks. In the wake of the passing away of Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal in 2023, he was often seen as the glue that kept the party together in times of crises. That Dhindsa's departure comes at a time when the SAD, once seen as the backbone of Punjab politics and a key representative of Sikh aspirations, is struggling to maintain relevance in the state's political landscape, is being seen as a blow to the party. Despite his differences with SAD president Sukhbir Badal, son of Parkash Badal, Dhindsa attempted to unify the splintered factions of the SAD – the SAD (Sanyukt) and Sudhaar Lehar – keeping the 'larger interests of Punjab' in mind. In March last year, he merged his breakaway SAD (Sanyukt) with the SAD and was asked by Sukhbir to assume the role of its patriarch. However, the truce seemed to be short-lived as four months later, Dhindsa quit the party after his son Parminder Singh Dhindsa was denied a Lok Sabha ticket from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. The father-son duo later became a part of the Sudhaar Lehar. The Sudhaar Lehar was disbanded in December last year on the directions of the Akal Takht. Though Dhindsa's SAD (Sanyukt) contested in alliance with Captain Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and the BJP in the 2022 Assembly polls, he had told The Indian Express in August last year that 'The revival of the SAD is our only priority. We will soon unveil the party's new structure and contest the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) polls. We need to save the 104-year-old party.' However, the wedge between Dhindsa and the SAD only deepened after Sukhbir was re-elected as president in March this year as the former perceived it to be the party's failure to democratise and move beyond family-centric politics. Dhindsa's death coming barely two years after the passing away of Badal senior marks the loss of the SAD's most seasoned campaigners, who held the authority to mediate in times of internal crises. 'Dhindsa ji was the voice of wisdom who worked with Badal senior… Their advice kept the party grounded. His passing away is a blow to the panth as well as the SAD,' rebel SAD leader Charanjit Singh Brar said. Another rebel SAD leader Gurpartap Singh Wadala admitted that the party faced challenging times. 'Whenever the party was in crisis, we could look up to him and seek his advice. His death is a political vacuum for the party,' he said. While SAD sources admitted that the party's efforts at reviving are barely bearing any fruits, some of leaders feel that if various party factions bury their differences and put up a united front, it will be a 'real tribute' to Dhindsa. 'It is high time that SAD leaders set aside their personal ambitions. This will be a real tribute to Dhindsa ji, who always placed public life and panthic interests before himself,' SAD MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali said. On Thursday, Dhindsa's mortal remains were brought from Mohali to his residence in Sector 2, Chandigarh, where a stream of mourners—commoners and leaders alike—were seen paying their last respects to him. Dhindsa's funeral will take place in his native village Ubhawal in Sangrur district Friday, with his final journey expected to pass through Rajpura, Patiala, Bhawanigarh and Sangrur before reaching Ubhawal.
India.com
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actor who gave 34 films in a year, 25 blockbusters, released a film every 15 days, beats Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Dharmendra, he is…
Many superstars in Bollywood work in a great way. As soon as they make and release their films one after the other, their films become a hit at the box office. The effect of the fan following of Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan is also seen on their films, but today we will talk about a superstar who did 34 films in a year, out of which 25 were blockbusters. This superstar's film was released every 15 days. There are many famous actors in the film world, but there are some who have achieved a special position with their hard work and talent. However, this superstar has been completely different from others. Mohanlal appears in many films every year and is known for giving consecutive blockbuster hits. The special thing is that his films have often competed with the films of Bollywood's biggest star, Salman Khan. Salman Khan's films are often no less than a festival for his fans. However, his film 'Sikander' released this year, did not live up to expectations. In contrast, South superstar Mohanlal's film 'L2: Empuraan', released at the same time, received a lot of praise from the audience and critics. Mohanlal's popularity is nothing new. He has worked in about 400 films in his illustrious career spanning four decades. There was a time when his films used to be released in theatres every 15 days. The most special thing is that in 1986, Mohanlal made a record which no one has been able to break to date. That year, he did 34 films, out of which 25 proved to be superhits. This achievement is still considered a benchmark. Mohanlal is not only a successful actor but also a producer, director, distributor, playback singer and businessman. He has been honored with prestigious awards like Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. Even today Mohanlal is active in the film industry and will soon be back on the big screen with his upcoming films. His dedication and talent is an inspiration for today's artists.
Mint
19 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Mission Bengaluru: UP man, who cycled for 15 days to meet Tata Sons chairman, takes 25-day journey to meet Azim Premji
A man from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, Monish Thakur, cycled for 25 days, covering nearly 2,300 kilometres, to Bengaluru only to meet the Wipro owners – Azim Premji and son Rashid Premji, who dedicated their lives to social service. In a lengthy LinkedIn post, Thakur shared the details of his journey and said, 'Main MONISH THAKUR Meerut se Bengaluru tak cycle se safar par hoon – 2300 kilometre ka ek lamba aur thakaan bhara safar. Aaj main 2100 kilometer ka raasta tay kar chuka hoon, aur bas kuch kadam aur baaki hain.' Sharing the objective of his 'Cycle Yatra', the UP man said, 'Mera maksad sirf ek manzil tak pahunchna nahi hai – main is yatra ke zariye ek aise insaan se milne ja raha hoon jinhone apni zindagi samaj sewa ko samarpit kar di – Shri Azim Premji sir aur unke putra Rashid Premji sir.' Monish Thakur said the Premji's initiatives for education and human welfare have inspired him, and he wants to meet Azim Premji to convey his good wishes and seek guidance from him. 'Unhone education aur human welfare ke liye jo kiya hai, usse main hamesha prerit raha hoon. Main chahta hoon ki unse mil kar unka aashirvaad aur margdarshan le sakun,' Thakur wrote. He also said that his journey wasn't just a physical pursuit but also a spiritual one. 'Har pedaal ke saath main ek nayi seekh le raha hoon – logon ka pyaar, raste ki mushkilein, aur apne sapne ke liye ladne ka junoon.' Thakur hoped the Internet would support him in proving that 'agar irade mazboot ho, toh koi raasta lamba nahi hota.' In 2023, Thakur had cycled 15 days to reach Mumbai from Meerut, where he stood outside Bombay House for three days to meet Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran. A few months later, he described Chandrasekaran as a 'very simple' and 'nice' man in a conversation with Moneycontrol. According to a Hindustan Times report, Thakur, who reached Bengaluru yesterday, May 28, stood outside Wipro's Sarjapur Road office in Bengaluru for hours in hopes of meeting the father-son duo. However, he was stopped by the security personnel who asked him to draft a letter requesting an appointment. Thakur is awaiting a response from the Wipro office. 'I have blisters on my feet. I want to go back to Meerut after meeting them,' he told Azim Premji is a leading Indian philanthropist known for his transformative work in education and social development. Through the Azim Premji Foundation and University, he has improved public education in underserved regions, supporting over 400,000 schools. His philanthropic arm also funds health, gender equity, and livelihood initiatives. He has donated over ₹ 2.3 trillion, making him one of the world's top givers. Premji's efforts, including massive COVID-19 relief, reflect his deep commitment to equity, ethics, and nation-building through systemic change. Azim Premji was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2005 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2011.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Dhindsa, last of first-generation Akali politicians, dies at 89
Chandigarh: Senior Akali leader and former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa — the last of the party's first-generation politicians — passed away Wednesday evening at Fortis hospital due to prolonged illness. He was 89. Former Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Sangrur, Dhindsa is survived by his wife, two daughters and son Parminder Singh Dhindsa, former finance minister of Punjab. A close family friend of Dhindsas said the veteran Akali leader was facing multiple health issues owing to his old age. "For the last two and a half months, his health had been deteriorating further. He was admitted to Fortis hospital Tuesday and passed away at around 5 pm today," said the close family friend. In a media bulletin, Fortis hospital Mohali said, "Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, former Union minister, was admitted to Fortis Hospital, Mohali, on May 27, 2025, in a critical condition. He was suffering from severe pneumonia and cardiac complications, compounded by age related health issues. Despite the best efforts of the multidisciplinary medical team, he passed away at approximately 5.05 pm today due to cardiac arrhythmia and cardiac arrest. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo " A recipient of Padma Bhushan in 2019, Dhindsa was born on April 9, 1936, at Ubhawal village in Sangrur district. He studied at Government Ranbir College in Sangrur, completing his Bachelor of Arts. It was here that he began his political journey as a student leader. Dhindsa was a four-time MLA, winning his first election from Dhanaula in 1972 as an independent. He later joined Akali Dal. He was subsequently elected as MLA from Sunam in 1977, from Sangrur in 1980 and again from Sunam in 1985. Dhindsa was Rajya Sabha MP from 1998 to 2004 and from April 2010 to April 2022. He was also elected to Lok Sabha from Sangrur in 2004. Dhindsa and his son Parminder were expelled by SAD in 2020 after they questioned the functioning of Sukhbir Singh Badal as party president, blaming the latter for party's debacle in 2017 Punjab elections . He floated a breakaway faction Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) which contested 2022 Punjab elections in a seat-sharing arrangement with SAD's former ally BJP and then Punjab Lok Congress floated by former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. The SAD (Sanyukt) could not make any mark in the election. Dhindsa was back in SAD fold in March last year, only to be expelled in August last year for "anti-party" activities. Expressing grief over the demise of Dhindsa, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, while sharing his photo with Dhindsa when he returned to SAD fold in March last year in a post on X, wrote, "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Sardar Sukhdev Singh Ji Dhindsa. Dhindsa Sahib served Punjab and the community for a long time as part of the Shiromani Akali Dal, and his contributions will always be remembered." Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences in a post on X: "The passing of Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa Ji is a major loss to our nation. He was a towering statesman with great wisdom and an unwavering commitment to public service. He always had a grassroots level connect with Punjab, its people and culture." A family friend said Dhindsa will be cremated in Sangrur district on Friday.
India Gazette
a day ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
"Proud moment for me as my family was present at Rashtrapati Bhawan": Para-archer Harvinder Singh after being conferred with Padma Shri
Kaithal (Haryana) [India], May 28 (ANI): India para-archer and Paris Paralympics 2024 gold medallist Harvinder Singh said that it was a 'proud moment' for him as his family was present at the Rashtrapati Bhawan when he received the Padma Shri award on Wednesday. India's para-archer Harvinder Singh, who won the gold medal in the Paris 2024 Paralympics, was named among the recipients of the Padma Awards 2025. Speaking to ANI, Harvinder Singh said, 'Very happy to receive the fourth-highest civilian award for India. My family is really very happy. It was a proud moment for me as my family was present at the Rashtrapati Bhawan when I received this award.' Harvinder has tasted success in the past year with his consistent performances. He got his hands on India's first-ever gold medal in para-archery at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. It was a one-sided affair in the men's individual recurve open event. Harvinder ousted Poland's Lukasz Ciszek with a straight-set win, 6-0, in the gold medal match. His triumph in Paris marked a medal in two successive Paralympics, having won a bronze medal in the recurve para-archery at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. His triumph in Tokyo was India's first medal in archery in the Paralympics. The Padma awards, among the country's highest civilian honours, are conferred in three categories: Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. The awards are given in various disciplines, such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, and literature. The Padma Shri award is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India after the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and the Padma Bhushan. With his Paris Paralympics gold, Padma Shri recognition, and an unwavering focus on upcoming championships, Harvinder Singh is determined to continue his dominance in para-archery and bring more laurels to India. (ANI)
