Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar Falls ill During Visit to Nainital, Recovers soon
New Delhi/Nainital: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar experienced a brief health scare on Wednesday following an emotionally charged moment at the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Kumaon University in Nainital. The incident occurred shortly after the conclusion of the program, during his interaction with a former parliamentary colleague.
The Vice President is on a three-day visit to Uttarakhand and had reached in Haldwani earlier in the day, where he was received with state honors at the Army Helipad by Uttarakhand Governor Lt. Gen. Gurmeet Singh (Retd.). The Vice President then proceeded to Nainital to serve as the chief guest at the university's 50th-anniversary celebration.
During his 45-minute speech, Dhankhar fondly recalled his former Lok Sabha colleague from 1989, Dr. Mahendra Singh Pal, who was also present at the event. After the address, Dhankhar stepped off the stage, embraced Dr. Pal, and engaged in a heartfelt five-minute conversation. The emotional exchange left both men visibly moved, with Dr. Pal reportedly in tears. Moments later, the Vice President also became emotional and suddenly collapsed while hugging Dr. Pal.
On-site medical personnel from the Health Department and doctors from the District Hospital responded immediately, administering first aid. Vice President Dhankhar was then escorted to Raj Bhavan, Nainital, accompanied by the Governor.
Officials later stated that his condition was stabilized and he was doing fine. Former MP Mahendra Pal explained that the Vice President had briefly felt unwell due to the emotional intensity of the reunion, but recovered quickly.
The program was attended by several dignitaries and senior officials, including Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya (on behalf of the Chief Minister), MP Ajay Bhatt, Haldwani Mayor Gajraj Bisht, Forest and Environment Advisory Committee Vice President Deepak Mahara, Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat, IG Riddhim Agarwal, District Magistrate Vandana, and SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena, among others.
The brief health episode caused a momentary stir among attendees and security personnel, but the prompt response from medical staff ensured the situation remained under control. As of now, Vice President Dhankhar is reported to be in stable condition and continuing with his scheduled engagements under observation.