A Pillar Falls: Remembering Rishav Jain, Mohali's Enduring Political Voice

Mohali woke up, just yesterday really, to the somber news that a truly familiar face, a voice that had echoed through its political corridors for what felt like an age, had fallen silent. Rishav Jain, a senior Congress leader, a man deeply embedded in the very fabric of this city’s public life, passed away at the age of 66. He had, honestly, been battling a prolonged illness; the end came at a private hospital in Sector 71, a quiet closing to a remarkably active chapter.

You see, Jain wasn’t just another name on a ballot. No, not at all. He was, in truth, a veteran, a figure who had dedicated a good four decades — four decades! — of his life to the often-thankless, always-demanding world of public service. His journey, if we're being fair, began with the Youth Congress, a youthful spark that would eventually ignite a career spanning a municipal councillorship and, perhaps most notably, the presidency of the District Congress Committee (Urban) Mohali. Think of the meetings, the campaigns, the countless hands shaken, the problems heard and, hopefully, resolved during those years.

And, speaking of connections, his bond with former minister Balbir Singh Sidhu was particularly noteworthy, a relationship, you could say, built on shared purpose and political camaraderie. Indeed, many credit Jain himself with bringing Sidhu into the Mohali political arena, a testament to his influence and foresight. He was more than an ally; he was, to put it simply, a trusted aide, someone Sidhu referred to as a "personal loss" upon hearing the devastating news. That's a significant statement, isn't it?

One can't forget, too, his time as a member of the Market Committee, Mohali — another arena where he worked to ensure local needs were met. His father, Balram Jain, also cast a long shadow, a well-known Congress leader in his own right and a former president of the Municipal Council. Perhaps, then, politics was less a choice and more a calling, a legacy passed down, though certainly one Rishav Jain shaped with his own unique vigour.

His passing leaves a void, certainly in the Congress ranks, but arguably across Mohali itself. He was, for many, a point of contact, a representative who understood the local pulse. His cremation was held, as tradition dictates, at the Mohali cremation ground. A final goodbye, then, to a man who, with his commitment and his presence, really did leave an indelible mark. Mohali, in its way, will remember him.