Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (9 April 1936 – 28 May 2025) was an Indian politician who was a member of the

Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the upper house of the Parliament of India and functions as the institutional representation of India’s federal units — the states and union territories.https://rajyasabha.nic.in/ It is a key component o ...

. He was a onetime President of

Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) The Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) (, SAD(S)) was a Centre-right politics, centre-right Sikh-centric political party in Punjab, India, Punjab, India, formed by former Shiromani Akali Dal leaders Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Ranjit Singh Brahmpura. ...

, which was formed by the merger of

Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic), was splinter group of the Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal. SAD(D) was formed in 1996 under the leadership of Kuldip Singh Wadala who would become the first president of the party. The party for a couple of years ...

and

Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) was an Indian political party which was formed by Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Rattan Singh Ajnala and Sewa Singh Sekhwan on 16 December 2018. On 4 November 2018, Shiromani Akali Dal expelled Sewa Singh Sekhwan the form ...

led by him and Ranjit Singh Brahampura respectively. He returned to the

Shiromani Akali Dal The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) (translation: ''Supreme Eternal Party'') is a centre-right Sikh-centric state political party in Punjab, India. The party is the second-oldest in India, after Congress, being founded in 1920. Although there are ma ...

political party by merging his party back into it in March 2024. He had previously been a member of

14th Lok Sabha The 14th Lok Sabha (2 June 2004 – 18 May 2009) was convened after the 2004 Indian general election held in four phases during 20 April – 10 May 2004, which led to the formation of first Manmohan Singh ministry (2004–2009). Indian National ...

of India, representing the

Sangrur Sangrur is a city in the Indian state of Punjab, India. It is the headquarters of Sangrur District. Geography Sangrur is located at . It has an average elevation of 237 metres (778 feet). Climate Health services City has PGIM ...

constituency of

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

. He was awarded the

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

in the awards list of 26 January 2019. However, he returned it in December 2020 during the farmer protests. Dhindsa was union minister of sports and chemicals and fertilisers in the

Third Vajpayee Ministry Atal Bihari Vajpayee was sworn in as Prime Minister of India for third time on 13 October 1999. He headed his Third Vajpayee Ministry. Here is the list of ministers in his ministry. Reshuffles In a reshuffle on 29 September 2000, Venkaiah Na ...

from 2000 to 2004. He was member of the

from 1998 to 2004. His son

Parminder Singh Dhindsa Parminder Singh Dhindsa is an Indian politician and belongs to the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) Political Party. He was a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal until late 2019. He is currently MLA from Lehra and was leader of Shiromani Akali Dal L ...

was finance minister of Punjab from 2012 till 2017.

Political career

Dhindsa started his political journey as an active student leader during his graduation years at Govt. Ranbir College Sangrur. He was the first elected Secretary of Ranbir College Students' Council and subsequently elected as the president of council too. After graduating he was elected as the Sarpanch (youngest in whole district) of his native village Ubhawal in Sangrur district. Amongst the elected Sarpanches he became the chairman of Block Samiti Sangrur. Later he was elected as managing director of District Cooperative Bank, Sangrur. In 1972 Dhindsa won Dhanaula Assembly Constituency seat as an independent candidate and later joined

under the guidance and motivation of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal. He again was elected as an MLA from Sunam on the

ticket and inducted as Minister of State (Independent Charge) holding the portfolios of Transport, Sports, Tourism, Cultural Affairs and Civil Aviation. In 1980 he again was re-elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha from Sangrur seat. In 1985 he became MLA from Sunam. Later in 1986, differences brewed in Surjit Singh Barnala's Government on the issue of Operation Black Thunder, and Dhindsa chose to go with the faction of Parkash Singh Badal in retaliation to Operation Black Thunder.

Death

Dhindsa died on 28 May 2025, at the age of 89.Veteran Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa dies at 89
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References

External links

Members of Fourteenth Lok Sabha - Parliament of India website
1936 births 2025 deaths India MPs 2004–2009 People from Sangrur Former members of Shiromani Akali Dal Rajya Sabha members from Punjab, India National Democratic Alliance candidates in the 2014 Indian general election Punjab, India MLAs 1977–1980 Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in public affairs {{PunjabIN-SAD-politician-stub