NEW DELHI: Today morning, Former defence minister George Fernandes died at the age of 88. He had been suffering from swine flu for the last few days. The veteran leader last breathed in Delhi. Fernandes had been away from public life for over a decade after he was being bed-ridden due to Alzheimer's as well as other health-related issues. Born in south Karnataka, Fernandes began his political career in Mumbai as a trade union leader. A well-known socialist, Fernandes emerged as a giant killer by defeating Congress veteran SK Patil in the latter's bastion in Mumbai in the 1967 Lok Sabha elections.
Born on June 3 1930, George Fernandes was at the age of 16 sent to train as a priest but his calling was different. He moved to Bombay in 1949 and got involved in the socialist trade union movement. Known to be a firebrand unionist and a fiery orator, he organized many strikes and bandhs there.
Arrested during the Emergency, George Fernandes was the industries minister in the first non-Congress government that came to power after the Janata Party defeated Indira Gandhi. He once called the former prime minister a "congenital liar".
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