Arun Jaitley death anniversary: Remembering the architect of GST and BJP's trusted troubleshooter

Arun Jaitley death anniversary: From being a university president to the Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley was a man of his word. Often regarded as the chief and trusted troubleshooter for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Arun Jaitley had more friends outside his political party. Jaitley, as a Finance Minister, played a crucial role in introducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. He served as the Finance Minister from 2014 to 2019. After BJP's mega in the 2019 general elections, Jaitley decided not to join the second Modi Cabinet due to health issues. He passed away on August 24 in 2019 at the age of 66.

Born on December 28, 1952 to Maharaj Kishen Jaitley and Ratan Prabha Jaitley, Arun Jaitley completed his early education at St. Xavier’s School, New Delhi.

He graduated from the Shri Ram College of Commerce in 1973. He obtained a Law degree from the University of Delhi in 1977. 

Jaitley was an active worker of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organisation affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

It was in 1974 when Jaitley was elected as the President of the Students Union of Delhi University. 

During the period of Emergency (1975-77) when civil rights were suspended and political leader were arrested, Jaitley was arrested and kept in the Ambala Jail and then in the Tihar Jail, Delhi. 

Jaitley was appointed the president of the Delhi ABVP and All India Secretary of the ABVP in 1977.

Jaitley later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and became a member of the national executive of the party in 1991. He was then appointed as the spokesperson of the BJP.

In the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government, Jaitley served as the MoS for Information and Broadcasting.

He also helmed Law Ministry and other departments. Jaitley was in 2009 elected as the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha. 

It is said that it was Jaitley, an astute strategist, who brought Narendra Modi at the national scene ahead of the 2014 general elections.

It was around 2018 when Jaitley's health deteriorated and he developed major complications. 

A master orator, Jaitley passed away on August 24 in 2019. He was honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 2021.