{{Short description|Indian politician (1947–2024)|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{More footnotes needed|date=June 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kamal Chaudhry | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1947|07|03|df=yes}} | birth_place = Hoshiarpur, Punjab Province, British India | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|06|25|1947|07|03|df=yes}} | death_place = Delhi, India | office = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | constituency2 = Hoshiarpur, Punjab | term = 1984–1996 | predecessor = Giani Zail Singh | successor = Kanshi Ram | term2 = 1998–1999 | predecessor2 = Kanshi Ram | successor2 = Charanjit Singh Channi | party = Bharatiya Janata Party | other_party = Indian National Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal , | spouse = Sudha Chaudhry | children = 2 | website = | footnotes = | date = | year = | source = https://loksabha.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/2998.htm }}

'''Kamal Chaudhry''' (3 July 1947 – 25 June 2024) was an Indian politician and a fighter pilot from the Indian Air Force. He was a Member of Parliament representing Hoshiarpur district of Punjab in the Lok Sabha for four terms. He was also Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defence and Chairman of the Public Undertaking Committee.

== Early life and education == Chaudhry was born in Hoshiarpur, a month before India gained independence, to Ch. Balbir Singh, a freedom fighter and a highly respected Indian politician. His father, fondly referred to as Sher-e Punjab, was a prominent political and social figure<ref>{{Cite web |title=Once Upon a Time in Punjab |url=https://thewire.in/communalism/once-upon-a-time-in-punjab |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=The Wire}}</ref> who also served as Member of Parliament<ref>{{Cite web |title=1977 India General (6th Lok Sabha) Elections Results |url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1977-election-results.html |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=www.elections.in}}</ref> and MLA from Hoshiarpur on multiple occasions. His mother was a homemaker. After his schooling, he joined the National Defence Academy on 1 December 1967 and went on to become a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indian Air Force Training Course Database |url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Courses/courselist.php?qunit=33%20NDA |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=Bharat Rakshak |language=en-gb |archive-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719130018/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/Courses/courselist.php?qunit=33%20NDA |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was commissioned on 21 June 1969. In 1982, he was part of the IAF team which was sent to the USSR to bring the latest MIG23 fighter aircraft to India.

Following his father's assassination in 1985<ref>{{Cite web |title=Violence rocked the nation's capital and three Indian states... - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/05/10/Violence-rocked-the-nations-capital-and-three-Indian-states/1494484545600/ |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref> by Khalistani terrorists, Kamal resigned from the IAF and joined the Indian National Congress.

== Political career == Chaudhry was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India, in 1985.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1985 India General Elections Results |url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1985-election-results.html |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=www.elections.in}}</ref> He was re-elected in 1989,<ref>{{Cite web |title=1989 India General (9th Lok Sabha) Elections Results |url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1989-election-results.html |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=www.elections.in}}</ref> 1992<ref>{{Cite web |title=1992 India General Elections Results |url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1992-election-results.html |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=www.elections.in}}</ref> and in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1998 India General (12th Lok Sabha) Elections Results |url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1998-election-results.html |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=www.elections.in}}</ref> During his political career he was part of various committees, notable among them being Chairman&nbsp;– Standing Committee on Defence<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rediff On The NeT : The Rediff Interview/Kamal Chaudhry |url=https://m.rediff.com/news/1999/mar/15kamal.htm |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=m.rediff.com}}</ref> and Chairman Committee on Public Undertaking.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Committee on Public Undertaking |url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/782455/1/Committe_On_Public_Undertakings_Parliament_of_India_Golden_Jubile_Souvenir.pdf |website=eparlib.nic.in }}</ref> While with the Indian National Congress, he was elected Secretary Congress Party in Parliament in 1990–91 and was Chairman All India Ex-Servicemen Congress from 1992 to 1997. He also helped establish the permanent control room in AICC. He left the Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |date=27 June 2015 |title=Former MP Kamal Chaudhary joins BJP |url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/chandigarh/former-mp-kamal-chaudhary-joins-bjp.html |accessdate=16 May 2016 |publisher=The Pioneer}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=27 June 2015 |title=Former MP Kamal Chaudhary joins BJP |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2015/state-editions/former-mp-kamal-chaudhary-joins-bjp.html |accessdate=5 April 2019 |publisher=Daily Pioneer}}</ref>

== Other activities and interests == Chaudhry was also a Member of Panjab University Senate from 1987 to 1995 and of Panjab University Syndicate from 1989 to 1991. He remained President of DAV College Managing Committee, Hoshiarpur for 20 years from 1985 to 2005. During the Commonwealth games in 2010, he was the Vice-Chairman of the Queen's Baton Relay.

==Death== Chaudhry died after a prolonged illness at home, on 25 June 2024, at the age of 76.<ref name="HTdeath">{{Cite web |date=June 25, 2024 |title=Punjab: Hoshiarpur ex-MP Kamal Chaudhry passes away after prolonged illness in Delhi |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/punjab-hoshiarpur-ex-mp-kamal-chaudhry-passes-away-after-prolonged-illness-in-delhi-101719296032286.html |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://loksabha.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/2998.htm Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaudhry, Kamal}} Category:1947 births Category:2024 deaths Category:People from Hoshiarpur Category:Arya Samajis Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Punjab, India Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Punjab Category:Lok Sabha members from Punjab, India Category:India MPs 1984–1989 Category:India MPs 1989–1991 Category:India MPs 1991–1996 Category:India MPs 1998–1999