Veteran BJP leader and former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has passed away. The 67-year old, also the first woman CM of Delhi, suffered a cardiac arrest . She was admitted at AIIMS in a critical condition. The 7-time MP was also a former Supreme Court lawyer . She started her career in the 1970s and was part of George Fernandes’ legal team during the Emergency.

In her decades-long career, she served as the I&B minster, health minister and the leader of the opposition. She was also the first woman spokesperson of any national political party. As health minister, she announced the setting up of new AIIMS hospitals at a time when AIIMS was only in New Delhi. As I&B minister, she declared Bollywood to be an industry. This helped films to get financing from banks

She had undergone a kidney transplant in 2016. She did not contest the 2019 general election due to ill-health.

Extremely active on social media, she was known for her witty responses and her willingness to help people in distress, especially Indian abroad. She is survived by her husband, Swaraj Kaushal, a senior advocate at the Supreme Court, and their daughter.