Former Uttarakhand CM, Maj Gen BC Khanduri, AVSM (Retd) fades away at the age of 91. He had an outstanding army career. During the 1971 war he was the Commanding Officer of 113 Engineer Regiment (Bombay Sappers) in the highly contested Shakargarh sector (Western front). He was a Central Minister and 5 times Lok Sabha MP.

A soldier. A Sapper. A parliamentarian from Garhwal. A son of Uttarakhand. A public servant to the last.

Major General Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, AVSM (Retd) passed away today 19 May 2026 after a prolonged illness at Dehradun aged 91

Commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in 1954, he served the Indian Army for thirty-six years and participated in the 1962 Indo-China War, the 1965 Indo-Pak and commanded an Engineer Regiment during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

For his distinguished service, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

After retirement, he carried the same sense of duty into public life. He represented the Garhwal Lok Sabha Constituency in the 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 16th Lok Sabha, served as Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways in the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and later as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand from 2007 to 2009, and again from 2011 to 2012.

But through all the offices he held, he remained, to many, General Sahib — austere, disciplined, direct, and deeply rooted in the idea of public service.

Our salute to Major General B C Khanduri and his service to the Nation. We also convey out deepest condolences to the family.