Former vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar was admitted to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, on Monday after he reportedly lost consciousness twice earlier this month, officials said. The 74-year-old underwent an MRI scan, and additional medical tests are scheduled for Tuesday.
According to officials, Dhankhar experienced “two bouts of unconsciousness” in the washroom around 3.30 am on January 10. He later visited AIIMS for a routine check-up, following which doctors advised immediate hospitalisation for further evaluation.
“Today, he had gone to AIIMS for a checkup when the doctors insisted that he should get admitted for tests. He will remain there overnight,” an official said.
Repeated health incidents raise concerns
Officials said Dhankhar has suffered blackouts on multiple occasions in recent years, including while attending public events in the Rann of Kutch, Uttarakhand, Kerala, and the national capital during his tenure as vice president. He was also admitted to AIIMS last year for a heart-related ailment.
Dhankhar resigned abruptly from the post of vice president on July 21, citing health reasons. His sudden exit had triggered widespread political speculation, after which he largely withdrew from public life and made only limited appearances.
Neither Dhankhar nor his family has issued any official statement regarding his current condition or hospitalisation.
Past hospitalisations and public collapses
In March 2025, Dhankhar was admitted to AIIMS in Delhi after experiencing uneasiness and chest pain, PTI reported. Doctors had advised him to reduce travel outside the national capital following his discharge.
Following that, Dhankhar collapsed during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Kumaon University in Nainital, Uttarakhand, in June 2025. A month later, on July 17, 2025, he reportedly felt unwell while visiting a Vatika developed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and required time to recover after being offered water by his wife.
Jagdeep Dhankhar served as the vice president of India from 2022 to 2025. A senior politician and lawyer, he earlier held the post of Governor of West Bengal between 2019 and 2022. His political career also includes serving as Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in the Chandra Shekhar government, a Lok Sabha MP from 1989 to 1991, and a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1993 to 1998.