Photo tribute: Sushma Swaraj, prolific orator, remarkable leader

Former union minister of external affairs and senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj passed away late on Tuesday night in the national capital. 67-year-old Swaraj was admitted to the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the evening after her health condition deteriorated. Swaraj had reportedly complained of restlessness and was rushed to AIIMS at around 9 pm.

The two-time MP had been having some health-related complications over the last several months. She had also opted out of contesting the Lok Sabha election 2019 citing health issues.

Swaraj was the second woman to hold the portfolio after Indira Gandhi, who briefly kept external affairs ministry under her while being the prime minister.

Swaraj has many firsts to her credit such as being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government, first woman Chief Minister of Delhi and the first woman spokesperson for any national political party in the country.

Swaraj was appointed the external affairs minister in the first term of the Narendra Modi government in 2014.