At 103, former Abohar MLA Bishnoi still going strong

Sahi Ram Bishnoi, who was elected as the MLA from Abohar in the 1957 Punjab Assembly elections, has entered the 103rd year of his life. He contested the election as a Bharatiya Jana Sangh candidate and defeated then-sitting MLA Chandi Ram Verma, who was a veteran freedom fighter. On February 17, 2022, during an election meeting, PM Narendra Modi invited Bishnoi on stage and honoured him as the oldest former legislator in the country.

MLA Sandeep Jakhar met Bishnoi at a social function on Tuesday evening. Jakhar said it was a pleasure to meet him. Bishnoi was born in Bahawalnagar (now in Pakistan). He currently lives in Sakta Kheda village, Sirsa. A law graduate, Bishnoi began his academic journey from Lahore University and finished it in Shimla after the partition of 1947.

As a young man, Bishnoi chose a life of social service and started helping people in Sri Karanpur, Rajasthan, who were displaced due to the partition. After a few years, Bharatiya Jana Sangh’s leadership requested Bishnoi to contest election from Abohar in 1957, which he eventually won.