Suresh Kalmadi (1944-2026) Biography, Family

Quick Info

Profession	Politician, Sports Administrator
Nationality	Indian
Date of Birth	01/05/1944
Age	81 years (died on 06, Jan, 2026)
Birthplace	Madras, Madras Province, British India
Date of Death	06/01/2026

Latest News about Suresh Kalmadi

06/01/2026

Suresh Kalmadi, former Union Minister and President of the Indian Olympic Association, passed away at the age of 81 in Pune after a prolonged illness. He was undergoing treatment at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital and breathed his last at approximately 3:30 am on Tuesday, 6 January 2026. Kalmadi is survived by his wife, a son, two daughters, and grandchildren.

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Bio/Wiki

Nickname	Suresh Bhai
Famous for	Former President of Indian Olympic Association; Arrested for corruption in 2010 Commonwealth Games; Acquitted in 2025 after 13-year trial

Physical Stats & More

Height	5' 8" (173 cm)
Weight	65 Kg (143 lbs)
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Grey

Educational Qualification(s)

School	St. Vincent's High School, Pune
College/University	Fergusson College, Pune

Personal Life

Religion	Hinduism
Military Service	Indian Air Force pilot (1964-1972); Participated in 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan

Relationships & More

Marital Status	Married
Marriage Date	23/04/1971

Family

Father	Shamrao Kalmadi (Doctor)
Mother	Shanta Shamrao
Siblings	1 Brother (Automobile Engineer)
Spouse	Meera Kalmadi
Children	Sumeer Kalmadi 2 (Payal Kalmadi) Payal Kalmadi

Career

Political Party	Indian National Congress (INC)
Political Journey	1977: President, Pune Youth Congress 1977–1980: President, Youth Congress, Maharashtra 1981–1986: President, Indian Youth Congress (Socialist) 1982: Member, Rajya Sabha 1988: Member, Rajya Sabha (Second Term) 1988: Secretary, Congress (Socialist) Parliamentary Party 1994: Member, Rajya Sabha (Third Term) 1995–1996: Union Minister of State, Railways 1996: Elected to 11th Lok Sabha 1998: Member, Rajya Sabha (Fourth Term) 1998–1999: Spokesman, Congress (Socialist) Parliamentary Party 1999: Chairman, Election Campaign Committee, Maharashtra 2003–2004: Treasurer, Congress Parliamentary Party 2004: Re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha (Second Term) 2005: Secretary, Congress Parliamentary Party 2009: Re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha (Third Term) 1996–2011: President, Indian Olympic Association 2016: Named Lifetime Patron, Indian Olympic Association May 2014: Tenure as Member of Parliament from Pune ended
Parliamentary Committees	1984–1985 & 1990–1992: Committee on Petitions 1986–1988: Committee on Subordinate Legislation 1988: Consultative Committee, Ministry of Defence 1996–1997: Consultative Committee, Ministry of Defence 1996–1997: Committee on Defence 1999–2004: Committee on Public Undertakings 2004–2007: Committee on Public Undertakings 2004–2009: Committee on Defence 31 August 2009: Committee on Human Resource Development 7 October 2009: Committee on Ethics
Sports Administration	1996–2011: President, Indian Olympic Association Chairman, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (2010) 2016: Lifetime Patron, Indian Olympic Association

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Suresh Kalmadi comes from a family of landlords in Mangalore, but moved to Mumbai to study medicine.
2. Contrary to his father's wishes for him to become a doctor, Kalmadi pursued a military career.
3. He joined the National Defence Academy in 1960 and served as a pilot in the Indian Air Force from 1964 to 1972.
4. Kalmadi celebrated his retirement with unique invitation cards for his party, designed like a shehnai.
5. He maintained a disciplined routine and started every day early, involving exercise and paperwork.
6. His political journey began in 1977 when he became the President of the Indian Youth Congress in Pune.
7. In the 1970s, Kalmadi gained media attention when he was mistakenly reported as throwing a slipper at Prime Minister Morarji Desai during a demonstration.
8. He has managed various businesses, including Pune Coffee House and a Maruti service station.
9. As President of Maharashtra Athletics Association, he was pivotal in organizing marathon trials for the Moscow Olympics team.
10. Kalmadi was elected multiple times to the Lok Sabha and served in various important political roles.
11. His controversial handling of the 2010 Commonwealth Games led to criminal charges and his eventual arrest.
12. He was restrained by Delhi High Court on 25 July 2012 from participating in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, with the court stating his participation could cause embarrassment to the nation.
13. He spent 10 months in Tihar jail and was suspended from the Congress party and removed from the IOA presidency following his arrest.

Suresh Kalmadi Politician, Sports Administrator Indian Madras, Madras Province, British India