Punjab chief minister bereaved as wife passes away

CHANDIGARH : The wife of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal passed in Chandigarh today in a hospital after a prolonged illness. Surinder Kaur Badal, 75, died at PGIMER where she was battling for life from cancer since long, officials said. She is survived by Badal, son and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and daughter Preneet Kaur.
S. Surinder Kaur Badal was the pillar of strength behind the more than 50 year long political career of S. Parkash Singh Badal. The senior Badal patriarch of 90 year old Shiromani Akali Dal, a party known for Morchas, Struggles and Jail Bharo Andolans for protecting the territorial and water rights of Punjab, had left the
responsibility of nurturing the family nest to Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal. S. Badal who out of his 50 year political career, spent 17 years in the jails, the longest stint spent by any political leader in India, was carefree from family front just because of stability offered by Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal to the family. If S. Parkash Singh Badal could touch the pinnacle of glory in his political career, it
was just because he was free from any tension of family responsibility.
Bibi Badal born in the family of S. Harjoginder Singh (Father) and Bibi Umrao Kaur (Mother) on 26th June 1938 in Village Chak Fateh Singh Wala in District Bathinda. Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal was second of their four siblings. She had an elder sister Savinder Kaur and two younger brothers Inderjit Singh and Late Gurpreet Singh. Mrs. Surinder Kaur Badal got her schooling in Victoria School Patiala.
She got her education from Pre University to MA in Kanya Maha Vidyalaya College Jalandhar. She was married to S. Parkash Singh Badal in the year 1959 and she gave birth to Parneet Kaur in the year 1960. Mr. Sukhbir Singh was born on 9th July 1962.
She was the direct descendent of legendry Sikh General Baba Fateh Singh who killed Wazid Khan, Governor of Sirhind, facilitating the recapture of Sirhind from Mughals.
Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal spent initial years of marriage in looking after her kids Biba Parneet Kaur her elder daughter and Kaka Sukhbir Singh and ensured that their education was not disturbed by the hectic political life of their father. She also ensured their proper up bringing and inculcated the values the Badal clan inherited since generations. She ensured to keep them away from hustle and
bustle of politics till Sukhbir completed his management graduation from US University.
The last Five Years of Bibi Surinder Kaur Badal were most satisfying for her as she embarked upon the campaign of involving lacs of devotees in "Langar Sewa" of Sri Harimandir Sahib. She mobilized lacs of devotees and collected their offerings from door to door in the villages for the Langar of Golden Temple and conducted the visit of thousands of poor persons to Darbar Sahib fulfilling their life time desire. She breathed her last in PGI today at 2PM.