Parkash Singh Badal
Parkash Singh Badal (8 December 1927 – 25 April 2023) was an Indian politician and Sikh rights advocate who served as the 8th Chief Minister of Punjab from 1970 to 1971, from 1977 to 1980, from 1997 to 2002, and from 2007 to 2017, the longest serving Chief Minister of Punjab till date. He was also Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly from 1972 to 1977, 1980 to 1983 and from 2002 to 2007 and the 11th Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare in the Morarji Desai ministry from 1977 to 1977. He was the patron of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a Sikh-centered regional political party, and the president of the party from 1995 to 2008, when he was replaced by his son Sukhbir Singh Badal.[1][2] As the patron of SAD he exercised a strong influence on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee[3] and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.[4]
Not to be confused with Parkash Singh. For the Omani cricketer, see Badal Singh.
Parkash Singh Badal
Sukhbir Singh Badal (from 2009)
Amarinder Singh
Amarinder Singh
President's rule
President's rule
Balram Jakhar
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal
8 December 1927
Abul Khurana, Punjab Province, British India
25 April 2023 (aged 95)
Mohali, Punjab, India
National Democratic Alliance (1998–2020)
2, including Sukhbir
Badal family, Majithia family, Kairon family
Politician
Early life and Family
Parkash Singh Badal was born on 8 December 1927 in Abul Khurana, near Malout. He belonged to a Jatt Sikh family, who were generally apolitical and worked in their fields. His father was a landlord named Raghuraj Singh Badal.[5] In 1959, he married Surinder Kaur. The couple had two children, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parneet Kaur, who is married to Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon. Surinder Kaur died in 2011 after a long illness due to cancer.[6]
His younger brother Gurdas Singh Badal had also been in politics in both, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Indian National Congress. His nephew Manpreet Singh Badal served as Finance Minister of Punjab.[7][8]
Badal graduated from the Panjab University and FC College, Lahore and became a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee at a young age.[9] During the Partition of India he was not able to board any train and was left to fend for himself in Lahore, Pakistan.[10] He was later escorted by a party of Indian soldiers as his father requested Brigadier Mohinder Singh Chopra to help him.[11][10]
Awards
Panth Rattan
On 11 December 2011, Badal was bestowed upon the title of Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum (literally "Jewel of the religion, pride of the community") by the Akal Takht.[51] He was awarded this title at Golden Temple complex in the presence of Jathedars of all five Takhts in the form of a "siropa" (robe of honour), a sword and a silver plaque with inscription of the citation of Panth Rattan Fakhr-e-Qaum.[52] Badal was awarded this title for his service towards the Sikh Panth by creating many memorials pertaining to Sikhism such as Virasat-e-Khalsa, besides being imprisoned for long time and having faced atrocities during various movements.[53]
Former SGPC secretary general Manjit Singh Calcutta argued that the award is given posthumously.[54] In response, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh cited the example of Master Tara Singh, who was given the award during his lifetime.[51]
