DEHRADUN: Denior BJP leader and former minister Kedar Singh Phonia died here on Friday following a prolonged illness. He was 92. Phonia was tourism minister in Kalyan Singh government in undivided Uttar Pradesh. He was also a minister in the interim government in Uttarakhand after its creation in 2000.
Phonia is credited with bringing famous skiing destination Auli in Chamoli district on the international tourism map.
He had been instrumental in the construction of Joshimath-Auli ropeway.
He represented the Badrinath seat in Uttarakhand assembly from 2007-2012.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condoled his death in a tweet describing it as a big loss.
बद्रीनाथ विधानसभा के पूर्व विधायक,उत्तरप्रदेश एवम उत्तराखण्ड राज्य के पूर्व कैबिनेट मंत्री आदरणीय श्री केदार सिंह फोनिया जी के निधन का दुःखद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ ।
भगवान बद्रीनाथ पुण्य आत्मा को अपने श्रीचरणों में स्थान दें।
ॐ शांति। pic.twitter.com/yNflMn2a2Y— Ritu Khanduri Bhushan (@RituKhanduriBJP) October 14, 2022
”It is very sad to hear about Phonia’s demise. I pray for peace to the departed soul and strength to his family to bear the loss,” Dhami said in his tweet. Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri also condoled Phonia’s demise in a tweet.
