The political and legal fraternity is in mourning following the demise of former Mizoram Governor and senior Supreme Court advocate Swaraj Kaushal on Thursday, December 4, 2025. He was 73. His daughter, Bharatiya Janata Party MP from New Delhi Bansuri Swaraj, penned an emotional and poignant tribute on social media, expressing her profound grief and the solace that her father is now reunited with her mother, the late External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
An Emotional Farewell from a Daughter
Bansuri Swaraj took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her heartbreak and pay homage to her father. In a post written in Hindi, the first-time MP described her father's passing as the "deepest pain in the heart." She reflected on the immense qualities he embodied that shaped her life.
"Your affection, discipline, simplicity, patriotism and immense patience were the light of my life which will never diminish," she wrote. Bansuri expressed her belief that he is now in eternal peace, reunited with her mother in the presence of the almighty. She concluded by stating that being his daughter was her life's greatest pride and that his legacy, values, and blessings would guide her future journeys.
The Final Hours and a Storied Career
Swaraj Kaushal complained of chest pain on Thursday afternoon and was swiftly rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. Despite medical efforts, he was declared dead. According to a BJP leader, his last rites are scheduled to be performed at the Lodhi Road crematorium.
Kaushal's career was marked by remarkable early achievements. Born in 1952 in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, he studied law at Panjab University, Chandigarh. His professional ascent was rapid. He was designated as a senior advocate in the Supreme Court at the young age of 34. His political appointment came just three years later when, at 37, he became the youngest Governor of Mizoram in 1990, serving until 1993.
A Life Intertwined with Political History
Kaushal, a committed socialist, often stayed away from the limelight but was deeply connected to pivotal moments in India's political history. He married fellow advocate and future political star Sushma Swaraj in 1975. During the Emergency, he famously defended socialist leader George Fernandes in the high-profile Baroda dynamite case.
Former BJP MP S S Ahluwalia recalled that young socialists of that era, including Kaushal, looked up to George Fernandes. It was during this period that his wife, Sushma Swaraj, coined the iconic election slogan for the 1977 Lok Sabha polls: "Jail ka faatak tootega, George hamara chhootega" (the gates of the jail will break open; our George will be released).
Through his legal acumen, gubernatorial tenure, and his role as the steadfast husband of one of India's most beloved politicians, Swaraj Kaushal carved a distinct niche for himself. His passing marks the end of an era for a family that has been a significant part of India's political narrative for decades.
