Sheila Dikshit, former Delhi Chief Minister, no more

Senior Congress leader and three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit passed away on Saturday at a private hospital in the city after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was 81.

Dikhsit was rushed to the Fortis Escorts Hospital in a critical condition in the morning after suffering a heart attack. She was administered advanced resuscitative measures, but she suffered a second cardiac arrest later and passed around 3:55 pm, a statement from the hospital said.

Her cremation will be held at the Nigambodh Ghat tomorrow. Dikshit's mortal remains will be kept for people to pay homage at her residence in Nizamuddin, New Delhi from 6 pm today till tomorrow 11.30 am.


Dikshit was the longest serving chief minister of Delhi, having headed the state government for 15 years from 1998 to 2013, and was the driving force behind several key infrastructural projects in the capital.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were among the first ones to offer condolences on the former Delhi CM's demise.


She was one of the tallest leader of the Congress party and was the longest serving Chief Minister of Delhi. She lost the 2013 Delhi state elections after ruling the state for three consecutive term following allegations of corruption.


Sheila Dikshit was serving as the Delhi Congress chief, a charge she took over in January this year before Lok Sabha polls. She fought the elections from North East Delhi, but was defeated by BJP candidate Manoj Tiwari.

In the December 2013 state elections, Dikshit was defeated in New Delhi constituency by Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who replaced her as Delhi's chief minister.


Subsequently, she was sworn in as Governor of Kerala in 2014 but resigned after few months.

She started her political career from Uttar Pradesh as a Member of Parliament from Kannauj constituency between 1984 and 1989 and also served as a Union minister from 1986-1989. She was also a close associate of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and a minister in his cabinet.

She did her schooling from Convent of Jesus and Mary School in New Delhi and completed her MA in history from the Miranda House college at the University of Delhi.