Ex-Punjab CM Surjit Singh Barnala passes away

Chandigarh: Former Punjab Chief Minister and ex-Governor Surjit Singh Barnala passed away after a prolonged illness at PGI here today. Ninty-one-year-old Barnala was admitted to the PGIMER recently where he breathed his last. He is survived by wife Surjit Kaur Barnala and two sons Jasjit Singh Barnala and Gaganjit Singh Barnala. Barnala, born on October 21, 1925 in Ateli, Haryana, was also involved in the Quit India Movement in 1942.

He had contested the elections for the first time in 1952 but lost. He had been elected to Parliament in 1977 and was inducted in the Morarji Desai Government as Agriculture Minister. Barnala had remained Punjab Chief Minister from 1985 to 1987. He also served as Governor of Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh. (UNI)