Parkash Singh Badal

Parkash Singh Badal (born 8 December 1927) is an Indian politician who has been the Chief Minister of Punjab since 2007. He previously served as Chief Minister from 1970 to 1971, from 1977 to 1980, and from 1997 to 2002. He is also the patron of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a Sikh-centered regional political party based in Punjab. He was the president of the party from 1995 to 2008, when he was replaced by his son Sukhbir Singh Badal. As the patron of SAD he exercises a strong influence on the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, and is generally regarded as the second most powerful Sikh leader worldwide, after India's former prime minister, Manmohan Singh. The Government of India awarded him the second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, in 2015.

Early life

Parkash Badal was born on 8 December 1927 in Abul Khurana, near Malout. He belongs to the Dhillon Jat clan. He graduated from the Forman Christian College in Lahore.