Parkash Singh Badal
Personal life: He was born December 8, 1927 in the village of Abul Khurana, near Malwa (Punjab), to Raghuraj Singh and Sundri Kaur in a Jatt Sikh family. In 1959 he married Surinder Kaur, they have two children, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parneet Kaur. His wife died in 2011.
Political career: He entered politics in 1947 and was first elected to Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1957. He was re-elected in 1969 serving as Minister for Community Development, Panchayati Raj, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries. He has served as Punjab Chief Minister for three terms the first time in 1969 when he became the youngest Chief Minister of an Indian state. He was Leader of the Opposition in 1972, 1980 and 2002. He was first detained in the Karnal jail in connection with Civil Liberties Agitation later under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Indian Emergency. He was President of the Akali Dal from 1996 to 2008.
According to the results of the 2012 election, announced on 6 March 2012, his party, SAD, won 68 seats out of 117, together with the BJP. Winning the 2012 assembly election comfortably, he was set to become Chief Minister of Punjab for a record-breaking fifth time; he was also Punjab's oldest chief minister. On 14 March 2012, he was sworn in for another term as Chief Minister by the Governor of Punjab, Shivraj Patil
Personal life: He was born December 8, 1927 in the village of Abul Khurana, near Malwa (Punjab), to Raghuraj Singh and Sundri Kaur in a Jatt Sikh family. In 1959 he married Surinder Kaur, they have two children, Sukhbir Singh Badal and Parneet Kaur. His wife died in 2011.
Political career: He entered politics in 1947 and was first elected to Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 1957. He was re-elected in 1969 serving as Minister for Community Development, Panchayati Raj, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries. He has served as Punjab Chief Minister for three terms the first time in 1969 when he became the youngest Chief Minister of an Indian state. He was Leader of the Opposition in 1972, 1980 and 2002. He was first detained in the Karnal jail in connection with Civil Liberties Agitation later under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Indian Emergency. He was President of the Akali Dal from 1996 to 2008.
According to the results of the 2012 election, announced on 6 March 2012, his party, SAD, won 68 seats out of 117, together with the BJP. Winning the 2012 assembly election comfortably, he was set to become Chief Minister of Punjab for a record-breaking fifth time; he was also Punjab's oldest chief minister. On 14 March 2012, he was sworn in for another term as Chief Minister by the Governor of Punjab, Shivraj Patil