NEW DELHI — Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Wednesday after collapsing unconscious during his morning exercise.
He is 75. Security personnel trailing Dhankhar watched him crumple to the pavement and lose consciousness for several minutes before they hauled him into a police control room vehicle and sped back to his residence. A rapid-response medical team from the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences and AIIMS senior physician Dr. Sandeep Seth arrived shortly after to deliver on-site stabilization. But as his condition raised alarms, doctors ordered an immediate emergency evacuation, transferring the former Rajya Sabha chairman into an ambulance bound for the hospital's specialized cardio-neuro facility.
Hospital authorities placed Dhankhar under the direct care of the cardiology department for continuous monitoring and critical diagnostic evaluation. AIIMS administration has not yet issued a formal medical bulletin regarding his baseline vitals or prognosis.
The sudden medical scare triggered an immediate security and clinical mobilization across the capital.
After receiving initial stabilization at his quarters, doctors deemed hospital admission non-negotiable. Paramedics transferred Dhankhar directly to the intensive monitoring wings of the Cardio-Neuro Centre. Specialists are assessing cardiac rhythm stability, neurological responsiveness, and arterial perfusion to pinpoint the trigger behind the syncope.
Hedging against cardiac vulnerability is not new for Dhankhar. Wednesday's collapse marks the latest in a string of fainting spells that have shadowed the former constitutional head over the past two years.
Twelve months ago, his health triggered high-level concern. In March 2025, Dhankhar checked into the AIIMS critical care unit after suffering sharp chest pain, where interventional cardiologists performed an emergency angioplasty. Three months later, in June 2025, he blacked out during a public appearance in Nainital while attending the golden jubilee celebrations of Kumaon University, losing consciousness as he embraced his former parliamentary colleague Mahendra Singh Pal. The pattern persisted into this year. In January, Dhankhar suffered two back-to-back fainting episodes at his residence while walking toward the washroom.
| Timeline Date | Clinical Event | Setting & Immediate Action |
|---|---|---|
| March 2025 | Acute chest pain, angioplasty | Admitted to AIIMS Critical Care Unit |
| June 2025 | Syncope during university event | Nainital; collapsed while greeting Mahendra Singh Pal |
| January | Dual fainting episodes | Farmhouse residence; collapsed en route to washroom |
| Wednesday | Morning walk collapse, unconsciousness | Rushed to AIIMS Cardio-Neuro Centre via ambulance |
Cardiologists at AIIMS continue round-the-clock observation, with specialized diagnostic panels and neuro-cardiac test results expected within the next 24 hours.