Final Goodbye: From Sushma Swaraj to Sheila Dikshit - A look at politicians that India lost in 2019

New Delhi, Dec 24: Every year we lose a variety of award-winning, awe-inspiring and at times, controversial figures in the entertainment, political, business, philanthropic and fashion worlds - and 2019 was no different.

2019 was a year when India lost many prominent personalities from all walks of life, with politics receiving a particularly severe blow.

As 2019 draws to a close, let us take a look at the political leaders India had to bid farewell to this year:

From Arun Jaitley, Manohar Parrikar, Sushma Swaraj and and three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's deaths prompted mournings from across the political spectrum.

Parrikar's demise due to cancer left a void in Goa's state politics. The death of KM Mani, the longest-serving legislator in Kerala's history, marked the end of an era in the state's political history.

Meera Sanyal- January 11

Ace banker Meera Sanyal, who joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, died on January 11, 2019. She was 57. Meera Sanyal died due to cancer after two years of treatment. Before venturing into activism and politics, Sanyal served as CEO and chairperson of the Royal Bank of Scotland in India. Year Ender 2019: From Jofra Archer to Mayank Agarwal, List of Emerging Cricket Stars This Year.

Shivajirao Deshmukh- January 14

Veteran Congress leader Shivajirao Deshmukh died after a prolonged illness on January 14, 2019. He was 84. Shivajirao Deshmukh was elected to Maharashtra Legislative Council in 1996 and 2002. He was earlier elected to Maharashtra Assembly in 1978, 1980, 1985 and 1990.

Vivekananda Reddy- March 1

YSRCP leader YS Vivekananda Reddy, brother of late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy died on March 15, 2019, due to a cardiac arrest. Vivekananda Reddy won as MLA in 1989, 1994 and later in 1999 and 2004. He was also elected to Lok Sabha from Kadapa.

Sushma Swaraj- August 6

Sushma Swaraj will be always remembered as a politician who turned twitter into a helpline during her foreign minister tenure. Sushma Swaraj passed away due to a cardiac arrest. Swaraj was 67. From May 2014 to May 2019 Swaraj had served as Minister of External Affairs under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She was only the second woman leader to hold this position after Indira Gandhi.

Arun Jaitley- August 24

Arun Jaitley passed away at AIIMS, New Delhi on August 24. He took last breath at 12.07pm today. Arun Jaitley was 66. Jaitley was admitted to AIIMS a few days ago after he complained of palpitations and restlessness. He was appointed the finance minister in the first term of Modi government in 2014. He opted out of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections citing health reasons.