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Bollywood Celebrities, Sports Stars Mourn Demise of Affable Indian Leader Sushma Swaraj

© AFP 2023 / Brendan SMIALOWSKIIndian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj arrives for a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama
Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj arrives for a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama - Sputnik International
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New Delhi (Sputnik): Indians are in mourning following the sudden death of well-liked politician Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday. Celebrities, including Bollywood stars and sports people, have lined up to pay their respects..

Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was popular for her oratory and command of languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, and English. She always took pride in being the traditional face of Indian culture and carried herself with aplomb during overseas visits.  

Her untimely demise has sent shock waves throughout the nation. She earned particular accolades for her prompt twitter responses to Indians in trouble overseas, and leaves behind a legacy of goodwill and respect.

Celebrities from Bollywood and sports took to social media to pay tribute to Swaraj, describing her as a “philosopher” and an “empathetic” person.

India’s superstar Amitabh Bachchan remembered her as a polite and mesmeric speaker.

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgan also regretted her passing.

Veteran Bollywood actress-turned-lawmaker Hema Malini called her a friend and mentor.

Sports personalities, including badminton player Saina Nehwal and tennis star Sania Mirza said they would forever cherish the memories of the veteran leader.

The 67-year-old Swaraj, who broke the glass ceiling to become India's youngest cabinet minister at the age of just 25, died on Tuesday following a cardiac arrest at the state-run All India Medical Institute of Sciences.

Swaraj cane from India’s northern state of Haryana.  She was the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi for a brief period of time and the first woman spokesperson for any national political party in the Indian Parliament.

Swaraj started her career in politics as a student leader in 1970 and was closely associated with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Hindu nationalist Rashtirya Swaymsewak Sangh. She was cremated on Wednesday with full state honours, with the Prime Minister, Vice-President and foreign dignitaries in attendance.

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