Gurdas Badal, father of Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, dies at 88

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, May 15

Former MP Gurdas Singh Badal (88), father of Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, passed away around midnight following a cardiac arrest. He had been unwell for a while and was admitted to a hospital in Mohali.

He was the younger brother of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Gurdas Badal unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election from Lambi against Parkash Badal in 2012. However, the personal relationship between the two brothers, ‘Pash’ (Parkash) and ‘Dass’ (Gurdas), remained intact, and they would meet often.

Before their political separation, people referred to them as ‘Pash te Dass di jodi’, as Gurdas used to perform the role of an election manager for his elder brother.

Gurdas's wife Harmandir Kaur had passed away on March 19 this year at the family’s farmhouse in Badal village here. He is survived by son Manpreet and a daughter.

He had won the Lok Sabha election from Fazilka in 1971. Before that, he served as member of the legislative council (MLC) from March 1967 to April 1969.

Keeping in view the current Covid-19 pandemic, Manpreet Badal has on social media appealed to all to refrain from attending the funeral ceremony, which would be held at Badal village.

It is with great sorrow that I inform about the demise of my father S.Gurdas Singh Badal. He passed away last night at Fortis Hospital, Mohali.He was 90.
His health had started deteriorating after my mother’s death in March, & he was on life support system for past few days.

— Manpreet Singh Badal (@MSBADAL) May 15, 2020

Keeping in view the current pandemic, we will like to request all friends and well wishers to refrain from attending the funeral ceremony which will be held in our ancestral village.

— Manpreet Singh Badal (@MSBADAL) May 15, 2020

Deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of S. Gurdas Singh Badal. Join my colleague Manpreet Badal and the family in this moment of grief. May the Almighty grant liberation to the departed soul. Rest in peace! pic.twitter.com/xmC11EOv9z

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) May 15, 2020

We are very sorry to hear about the passing away of Gurdas Singh Badal ji. Our thoughts and prayers are with Manpreet Singh Badal ji and family. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/HecTdKVRUW

— Punjab Congress (@INCPunjab) May 15, 2020

Deeply saddened to know about the demise of S. Gurdas Singh Badal ji. My heartfelt condolences to entire Badal family in this time of grief. I pray to Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and give strength to the family to bear this loss. @msbadal

— Santokh Singh Chaudhary (@sschaudharymp) May 15, 2020

I feel saddened on the passing away of S Gurdas Singh ji Badal. This is a big personal loss for my mentor & leader S Parkash Singh ji Badal, who has lost his most dear younger brother. My heartfelt condolences to S Sukhbir S Badal, S Manpreet S Badal and whole Badal family. RIP. pic.twitter.com/utjqBwXM7T

— Dr Daljit S Cheema (@drcheemasad) May 15, 2020

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