Suresh Kalmadi, former Union Minister, senior Congress leader, and prominent sports administrator, passed away in Pune on 6 January 2026 at the age of 81 after a prolonged illness. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law, two married daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren. His funeral was scheduled to be held at Vaikunth crematorium in Pune, with his mortal remains kept at Kalmadi House until the afternoon for public homage.
According to Hindustan Times, Suresh Kalmadi began his political career in 1977 as president of the Indian Youth Congress in Pune and later became president of the Youth Congress for Maharashtra.
He was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1982 and went on to serve three more terms, before being elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996, 2004, and 2009, representing Pune.
As reported by The News Minute, Kalmadi was born on 1 May 1944 in Madras (now Chennai), with family roots in Mangalore, Karnataka. He completed his schooling in Pune and graduated from Fergusson College before joining the National Defence Academy and serving as a squadron leader in the Indian Air Force. His early political alignment was with Congress (S), led by Sharad Pawar, before merging with the Indian National Congress in 1986.
As highlighted by The Indian Express, Kalmadi played a significant role in Pune’s development, initiating projects such as the Pune Festival and the Pune International Marathon. He was instrumental in bringing the National Games to Pune in 1992 and the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008. Local Congress leaders credited him with boosting the city’s infrastructure and cultural profile during his tenure.
This report noted, Kalmadi’s political ascent was shaped by his connections with Sharad Pawar and the Gandhi family. He served as Minister of State for Railways in the PV Narasimha Rao government and was involved in the renaming of Mumbai’s Victoria Terminus to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. His leadership extended to the Maharashtra State Athletics Federation and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), where he served as president from 1996 to 2011.
This article added, Kalmadi’s tenure as IOA president included efforts to bring international sporting events to India, such as the Formula One Grand Prix. However, his career was marred by allegations of corruption related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, leading to his arrest in April 2011 on charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating. He spent 10 months in Tihar jail and was suspended from the Congress party and removed from the IOA presidency.
“Kalmadi withdrew from politics after facing allegations of corruption as the head of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee. His arrest in 2011 and subsequent removal from key posts effectively ended his public life.”
This report highlighted, the Central Bureau of Investigation’s probe focused on the award of a contract for the Timing, Scoring, and Results system to a Swiss firm, which allegedly caused financial loss to the exchequer. Kalmadi denied wrongdoing, claiming the charges were politically motivated. In April 2025, a Delhi court accepted the Enforcement Directorate’s closure report in a related money laundering case, effectively exonerating him.
After his suspension, Kalmadi withdrew from public life and remained away from active politics. Congress leaders in Pune noted that his absence impacted the party’s performance in subsequent elections. He was remembered for his contributions to Pune’s civic and cultural landscape, as well as his long-standing service in Parliament and sports administration.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.