Digamber Singh

Digamber Singh was born on 1 October 1951, to a Hindu Jat family, in village Barkera Faujdar in Bharatpur district, Rajasthan.[7]

In 1973, he completed his MBBS from Dr. S.N. Medical College in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.[8]  

Shortly after his marriage in 1976, Singh suffered a stroke. He had symptoms of muscle weakness and regular fatigue, and was hospitalised in AIIMS, New Delhi for a little less than a year. His treatment continued at home, and he took approximately two years to make a full recovery.[9]  

Singh joined the government medical department as a gynaecologist in 1977. His initial posting was in Nagar tehsil and was later transferred to Kumher in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

In 1985, Singh resigned from his government designation and opened a private hospital in Bharatpur- Shree Digamber Hospital, today known as the Shree Digamber Group of Hospitals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaign in support of Digamber Singh

Singh joined the Bharatiya Janta Party in late 1980s. He was first elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in 1993 from Kumher in Bharatpur at the age of 43.

Singh fought and lost in the 1996 general election to Natwar Singh. He was re-elected in 1998 as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). As an opposition leader, Singh was critical of the state congress government's negligence towards development projects in Eastern Rajasthan. Singh went on to win the 2003 Rajasthan election from Kumher, for the third consecutive time, the highest in the region, and was further appointed Cabinet Minister of Health & FW in Government of Rajasathan under the leadership of Vasundhara Raje. Singh's program for the revamping of government health facilities across the state, included setting up of ‘Seva Kendras’ at panchayat level and expanding the scope of government's healthcare schemes for the poor.[10] During Singh's tenure there were multiple government poverty relief schemes and programs in Rajasthan.[11] In 2008, Digamber Singh along with Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, launched the Rajasthan-Norway joint health program, aiming at polio eradication and modernisation of existing facilities and infrastructure.[12] In an interview with News 18, journalist Pratap Rao, termed Singh as the ‘trouble-shooting Minister’ of the government.[13]

He was appointed the Cabinet Minister for Industries in 2009.[14] Singh's leadership saw the emergence of numerous multi dynamic urban city and residential projects in the state. The FDI level rose by 9% under his tenure as multiple Special Economic Zones or SEZs were introduced in diverse regions of Rajasthan.[15][16] He was opposed to unemployment of educated youth, and invited IT MNC's of the country to establish facilities in Rajasthan, through government incentives.[17]

Prior to the 2008 Rajasthan Assembly Elections, delimitation of electoral constituencies took place and Bharatpur’s parliamentary seat was reserved for scheduled class while Singh's Kumher consistency was merged with Deeg to form the Deeg-Kumher Assembly constituency. Following these developments, then sitting Bharatpur BJP Member of Parliament, Vishvendra Singh, contested the assembly elections from Deeg-Kumher. The Bharatiya Janata Party chose Digamber Singh as its candidate from Deeg-Kumher, pushing Vishvendra Singh to join the Indian National Congress. Digamber Singh won the election. After defeating Vishvendra, Singh remarked: “I have put an end to two myths - one is that he (Vishvendra) is undefeatable and the other that 13 (13 Civil Lines, his residence) is an unlucky number".[18] Singh served as an MLA, after the Bharatiya Janta Party was voted out of power. Digamber Singh paraded 50+ MLAs in Raje's support which led to central leadership, under Rajnath Singh, deterring from its decision.[19]

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje ties "Rakhi" to Minister Digamber Singh, August 2017

Singh lost the 2013 elections. The Bharatiya Janta Party was voted back to power and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje sought Singh in the Cabinet. Therefore, Singh was asked to contest the bypoll from Surajgarh, Jhunjhunu.[20][21] however, he was unsuccessful. In 2015, Digamber Singh rescinded the party request for his nomination to Rajya Sabha, he however accepted his appointment as Vice President of the Rajasthan BJP . Following Singh's diagnosis in 2015, he was appointed Chairman of the Twenty Point Program, held a Cabinet Minister status, and possessed power to intervene in as many as 20 miniseries of the government.[22] In 2016, Singh was charge was extended to 24 ministries of the government, as he got additional charge of education, rural development, law and social justice. Digamber Singh was termed as the “Unannounced Deputy Chief Minister” or a “Super Cabinet Minister” by senior legislator - Ghanshayam Tiwari. Despite his failing health, Digamber Singh was considered as the closest aid to the Chief Minister and also the most influential minister in the state.[23]

Singh in 2016

Dr. Digamber Singh was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in April 2015. Singh had been campaigning in the 2015 Delhi election and had complained of back pain. Soon after his diagnosis, Digamber Singh, flew to New York City in the United States of America and received treatment at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Singh underwent a major surgery in New York, which was termed as 'successful' by the Indian government authorities. However, his biography, by Ramveer Singh Verma, provides contradicting results of the surgery- stating that the surgery was only 'partially successful'. And that doctors were hesitant to operate the tumor. Digamber Singh returned home, after a month and a half, in June 2015. Upon his arrival, Digamber Singh, was welcomed by hundreds of supporters at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and later at the Jaipur International Airport.

Digamber Singh received chemotherapy at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur. In October 2015, Singh, underwent another major surgery at the Lakeshore Hospital, under Dr. H. Ramesh, in Kochi, Kerala. Dr. Digamber Singh's decision to undergo another major surgery in such a short interval was heavily protested by Vasundhara Raje and Rajendra Singh Rathore. Singh's second surgery was reported to be 'extraordinarily successful' by government authorities. [24][25]

On his arrival from the US, Dr. Digamber Singh, is welcomed by supporters at the Jaipur International Airport, June 2015.

In early 2017, at the recommendation of senior doctors in SMS, Singh flew to Singapore for chemotherapy at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. In a span of six months, Digamber Singh, travelled to Singapore over 40 times for his treatment. As per Singh's principal secretary, Ashok Arora, he flew to Singapore every Monday and returned on Wednesdays. According to Arora, Dr. Digamber Singh, was 'deeply committed to his duties and people' as a Cabinet Minister. Singh's chemotherapy in Singapore was discontinued in September 2017, after certain detrimental effects were observed[26].

In second-half of 2017, Digamber Singh appeared increasingly fragile and refrained public appearances. He appeared for his 66th birthday celebration on 1 October 2017 in Bharatpur. The program was attended by over three hundred thousand people, dozens of Cabinet Ministers and numerous MPs & MLAs. Amidst tight security, Singh abstained from meeting the crowds, and did not deliver a speech. On October 5, Singh, as Chief Guest, appeared to witness a kabbadi match in Jaipur.

Prominent bollywood celebrities as Abhishek Bachchan and Saif Ali Khan shared the stage with Singh at the event. On October 7, Singh gave his last interview to News 18 and journalist Shripal Shekhawat. On October 17, Digamber Singh, travelled to Kumher for a cultural program on the occasion of Diwali. The event was attended by over fifty thousand people. Digamber Singh held his final press conference at the event and, in his speech, popularly remarked - "मन समर्पित, तन समर्पित,और यह जीवन समर्पित।". During the festivities, on Singh's instructions, security around him was loosened as he met with supporters. On October 18, upon complaing of chest pain, Digamber Singh was rushed from Bharatpur to EHCC Hospital, Jaipur. He was treated by a team of doctors under Dr. RS. Khedar. In his daily press briefing, Dr. Khedar remarked "We are observing gradual improvement". Digamber Singh's health took a downturn on Ocotber 26. He was placed on ventilator support at 5 am on October 27.

Dr. Digamber Singh died on 27 October 2017 at 10:50 am. Singh was hospitalised at the EHCC Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan. His death was declared to the media at 11:30 am by Dr. R.S. Khedar and the team of doctors treating him. Singh successfully recovered from swine flu but succumbed to his prolonged illness of pancreatic cancer. Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, and members of her cabinet rushed to the hospital to express their grief. A cabinet meeting was called at 12:30 PM, chaired by Chief Minister Raje. Thereafter, the State Cabinet passed an order declaring state mourning in Rajasthan for a day. Dr. Digamber Singh was given full state honours and 21-gun salute at the funeral in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Digamber Singh’s flames were consigned at Shree Digamber College of Nursing in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

Over 300,000 people attended Singh’s last rites. Members of the Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat Cabinets were present at length.

State Funeral of Dr. Digamber Singh, Bharatpur, 27 October 2017.

Digamber Singh’s death left a vacuum in the Rajasthan BJP leadership. Singh, a Jat face of the BJP, had a sway over voters in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. His absence was felt immediately with the party losing the 2018 by-elections in Ajmer. The BJP government was voted out of power in the 2018 elections. A major reason of the defeat being the fiasco of the party in Eastern Rajasthan, Digamber Singh’s stronghold, where the party won only 1 of the 19 assembly seats. Digamber Singh, often considered to be the first Jat Chief Minister of Rajasthan, was at the forefront of any political crisis. The party, after Singh, is viewed split between the Raje camp and the BJP organisation leaders.

Death of Dr. Digamber Singh, Indian Newspaper, October 28, 2017.

Following Singh's demise, demands have been raised to name the Bharatpur Medical College to Dr. Digamber Singh Medical College or DDS Medical College Bharatpur. The protest sprang up again in October 2022.