Ex-Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dixit passed away in the national capital on Saturday afternoon.
She is credited with changing the face of the national capital during her 15-year-old tenure as Chief Minister of Delhi. She breathed her last in Escorts Hospital at the age of 81. The demise took place around 3:30 pm. She was admitted to the hospital around 10:30 am today in the morning.
Dikshit who has served as the Chief Minister of Delhi for three-times had cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and had to be immediately put on a ventilator, two people aware of the matter confirmed.
She is a well-known figure in Indian politics and was a powerful administrator and leader who ruled Delhi thrice since 1998. She held the record of leading her party to three consecutive victories in New Delhi constituency in the Legislative Assembly of Delhi.
She also holds the record of being the second female Chief Minister of Delhi after Sushma Swaraj.
Dikshit's entry into Indian politics was a mere coincidence. Her father-in-law was a renowned activist during India's independence struggle movements and later went on to become a union cabinet minister in the government during the rule of Indira Gandhi.
Dikshit used to assist her father-in-law a lot while he was serving in this position which brought her into the consideration of Indira Gandhi. The Prime Minister admired her administrative skills and nominated her as an Indian delegate of the United Nations Commission on the issue of the status of women.
Sheila Dikshit underwent heart surgery in France last year. Ashok Seth, chairman of Fortis Escorts Heart institute had advised that the procedure be performed at University Hospital in Lille, France under the care of Dr Thomas Modine.
Delhi's Fortis Escorts Hospital issued an official statement on Dixit's demise -
Sheila Dixit was brought in the morning on 20th July 2019 to Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Okhla, New Delhi, in a critical condition with cardiac arrest.
A multi-disciplinary team of doctors, led by Dr Ashok Seth, Chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, carried out the advanced resuscitative measures. Her condition stabilised temporarily. However, she had another cardiac arrest and despite all the resuscitative efforts, passed away at 3:55 pm on 20th of July 2019.