Former cabinet minister, founding member of BJP, Jaswant Singh dies at 82

One of the founding members of the BJP, he had held the portfolios of defence, external affairs and finance at various stages in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1998-2004

Former Defence Minister Jaswant Singh passed away on Sunday at the age of 82. The former Indian Army officer served in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet. He held the portfolios of defence, finance and external affairs in the Atal Bihar Vajpayee cabinet between 1998 and 2004.

He had slipped into a state of coma after suffering a fall in the bathroom of his residence on August 7, 2014.

"It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Hon'ble Major Jaswant Singh (Retd), former Cabinet Minister of Government of India at 0655 hours on 27 September