Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi passes away after a prolonged illness
He is survived by his wife, his son and daughter-in-law, two married daughters, a son-in-law, and his grandchildren.
PTC News Desk: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Suresh Kalmadi died early Tuesday morning (January 6, 2026) in Pune after a long illness, according to his family. His body will be kept at Kalmadi House in Pune’s Erandwane area until 2 pm. The cremation will take place at Vaikunth smashanbhumi at 3.30 pm.
He is survived by his wife, his son and daughter-in-law, two married daughters, a son-in-law, and his grandchildren.
Who was Suresh Kalmadi?
Suresh Kalmadi was a senior Congress leader and a well-known politician from Pune. He served as Union Minister of State for Railways and was also the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Pune several times.
Kalmadi was closely associated with sports administration at the national level for many years. However, his time as IOA president became controversial due to the 2010 Commonwealth Games corruption case. He was accused of misusing funds and charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He was arrested in April 2011, after which the Congress party suspended him.
Despite the controversy, Kalmadi continued to have influence in sports bodies. In 2016, more than 150 members chose him and Abhay Singh Chautala as life presidents of the IOA. This decision faced strong criticism, and the Union sports minister ordered an inquiry. Following this, Kalmadi declined the position, saying it was not the right time for him.
Earlier this year, a Delhi court accepted a closure report filed by the Enforcement Directorate, stating there was no evidence of money laundering against Suresh Kalmadi.