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Former Congress legislator from Rampur Bushahr and Chairman of the Seventh Himachal Pradesh State Finance Commission Nand Lal died at Chamiyana Hospital in Shimla early Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was 72.
Nand Lal, who represented the Rampur Assembly constituency four consecutive times between 2007 and 2022, breathed his last at around 5 am, leaving the political fraternity and people of the region mourning his demise. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed profound grief over the death of the veteran leader and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family. In a condolence message, the Chief Minister prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the family to bear the irreparable loss. The condolence message, shared in a tribute poster, read: "May God grant the departed soul a place at His feet and provide the family with the strength to bear this immense sorrow." The demise of Nand Lal has triggered a wave of mourning in Rampur Bushahr, Shimla district and across Himachal Pradesh, with Congress leaders, political representatives and people remembering his contribution to public life. Born on April 16, 1954, in Devthi village of Rampur Bushahr in Shimla district, Nand Lal had a distinguished career in the country's security services before entering electoral politics. He was the son of Pyare Lal and completed his postgraduate degree in Political Science from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. Nand Lal began his professional career after receiving training with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), where he served as a commando. In 1985, he joined the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite security organisation responsible for protecting the Prime Minister and other designated protectees. He remained associated with the SPG until 1997 and was entrusted with important security responsibilities, including serving as part of the security detail of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. His association with the Gandhi family earned him the description of "Sonia's sentinel" in media reports. Apart from VIP protection duties, Nand Lal also played an important role in security arrangements for major national and international events. These included the 1982 Asian Games, the 1983 Non-Aligned Movement meeting and the 1984 Commonwealth conference. He also commanded ITBP battalions twice in terrorism-affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir, undertaking responsibilities in challenging operational conditions. His career in security services was marked by discipline, operational experience and assignments involving high-level protection and national security. After serving in the security forces for several years, Nand Lal took voluntary retirement from government service in 2007 and entered electoral politics. He contested his first Assembly election from Rampur Bushahr on a Congress ticket and won, beginning a political journey that would see him represent the constituency for four consecutive terms. He was elected MLA in 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2022. His consecutive victories established him as a prominent political figure in Rampur, where he maintained a strong electoral presence over the years. In the 2022 Assembly elections, Nand Lal defeated BJP candidate Kaul Singh Negi to secure his fourth consecutive victory from the constituency. His political career was closely associated with the Congress organisation in Himachal Pradesh and the development issues of Rampur Bushahr and its surrounding areas. Following his election to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Nand Lal was entrusted with several legislative and administrative responsibilities. He served as Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) in the state government from 2013 to 2017. During his tenure, he remained associated with government functioning and legislative affairs. Between 2018 and 2022, he served on the Assembly's Welfare and Rural Planning committees. He also held responsibilities in various legislative committees, including serving as chairman of the Privileges Committee. His long association with the Assembly provided him experience in legislative procedures, public issues and the functioning of government institutions. In March 2024, Nand Lal was appointed Chairman of the Seventh Himachal Pradesh State Finance Commission by the Governor. The commission was entrusted with examining the financial position of Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies and making recommendations concerning the distribution of financial resources and strengthening local governance. His appointment to the commission marked another important responsibility in his public career, following his four consecutive terms as an MLA and his earlier role as Chief Parliamentary Secretary. As chairman, he was associated with the process of reviewing the financial requirements of local bodies and their capacity to deliver development and civic services. Nand Lal was married to Satya Devi and is survived by his son. He remained associated with Rampur Bushahr throughout his political career and represented the constituency in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly for 15 years. His journey from security services to electoral politics reflected a career spanning public service, legislative responsibilities and regional representation. The death of Nand Lal has left a significant void in Rampur Bushahr's political landscape. Having served in the security forces before entering politics, he brought extensive professional experience to public life and represented Rampur in the Assembly for four consecutive terms. His association with the Congress party, his tenure as Chief Parliamentary Secretary and his appointment as Chairman of the Seventh State Finance Commission made him an important figure in Himachal Pradesh's political and administrative affairs. The Chief Minister's condolence message reflected the grief over the loss of the veteran leader, while the people of Rampur and the political fraternity mourned his passing. Nand Lal's contributions to the region and his long career in public service will remain a part of his legacy. (ANI)
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