Sushma Swaraj Passes Away: French Ambassador expresses condolences, says she took Indo-French relationship to new heights

Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, at the age of 66 after suffering a cardiac arrest in New Delhi. The demise of the former External Affairs Minister was mourned by the Ambassador of France to India Alexandre Ziegler.

In a tweet, he called Swaraj one of the most respected leaders and said she took the Indo-French relationship to new heights.

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Current EAM S Jaishankar also tweeted on her demise saying, "Deeply shocked to learn of the passing away of Sushma Swaraj. It is difficult to accept this news. The whole nation grieves, the Foreign Ministry even more so."

About late former EAM Sushma Swaraj

Born in Ambala cantonment in what is now Haryana on February 14, 1954, Sushma Swaraj majored in Sanskrit and Political science at the Sanatan Dharma College in the Ambala Cantonment, before studying law at the Punjab University. She started practicing law as an advocate at the Supreme Court of India in 1973, and in the same decade, also joined the ABVP.

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She participated in Jayprakash Narayan's movement during the Emergency and subsequent to that, joined the newly founded BJP. In a pathbreaking political career, she served as the Chief Minister of Delhi, and then, in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government, as a union minister in multiple ministries. 

In the Modi government, she was appointed as the External Affairs Minister - a portfolio she redefined owing to her hands-on approach wherein she would often respond to citizens'queries on Twitter.

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