Jagdeep S. Chhokar, a towering figure in India’s fight for transparency and accountability in electoral politics, passed away on September 12, 2025, at the age of 81 after suffering a heart attack at his home in New Delhi. As the co-founder of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Chhokar leaves behind a transformative legacy that reshaped India’s democratic landscape through relentless advocacy for clean elections and political accountability.
Born on November 25, 1944, in Kharar near Chandigarh, Chhokar’s journey was marked by an eclectic career spanning engineering, academia, law, and activism. A mechanical engineering graduate, he began his career with the Indian Railways before transitioning to academia, earning an MBA from the University of Delhi and a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. He joined the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad in 1985, where he served as a professor of Organisational Behaviour and later as dean and director-in-charge. His academic rigor and intellectual curiosity laid the foundation for his later activism.
In 1999, Chhokar co-founded ADR alongside colleagues like Trilochan Sastry and Ajit Ranade, driven by concerns over criminality and money power in Indian politics. The organization became a beacon for electoral reform, achieving landmark victories in the Supreme Court. A pivotal moment came in 2002 when ADR’s petition led to a ruling mandating candidates to disclose their criminal, financial, and educational backgrounds, empowering voters with critical information. Chhokar’s leadership also contributed to the introduction of the ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option on electronic voting machines in 2013 and the scrapping of the controversial electoral bonds scheme, which he criticized for enabling anonymous political funding.
Beyond his activism, Chhokar was a man of diverse passions. A trained lawyer with an LL.B. from Gujarat University, he pursued a certificate in ornithology from the Bombay Natural History Society and was an avid birdwatcher, often seen observing birds on the IIMA campus. His commitment to public good extended to his final act—donating his body for medical research to Lady Hardinge Medical College, fulfilling a pledge made in 2020.
Tributes poured in from across the spectrum. Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa called his loss “tragic,” noting ADR’s “yeoman service” in upholding electoral standards. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha described Chhokar’s passing as “the silencing of a conscience that spoke relentlessly for the integrity of India’s democracy.” ADR’s current head, Maj Gen (Retd) Anil Verma, hailed his contributions as “milestones in the country’s electoral history.”
Chhokar, survived by his wife Kiran, spent his final years between New Delhi and Goa, battling health issues including a shoulder fracture and lung infection. Yet, his resolve never wavered, as he continued to challenge electoral malpractices, including the recent Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls in Bihar. His life’s work, rooted in the belief that “citizens are the masters in a democracy,” continues to inspire a nation striving for a fairer, more transparent electoral system.