millions of people arriving in India. Defence Minister Singh also led the preparations and planning for war in Kashmir, which had broken out with Pakistani tribesmen and some military officers had made an incursion into the state with the aim of annexing it into Pakistan. Over almost two years, the Indian Army would wage battle with the militants and the Pakistan Army at the highest altitudes in the world. The Army succeeded in pushing back the raiders from Srinagar and beyond the Baramulla Pass, but with Nehru's declaration of a cease-fire under the supervision of the United Nations, a considerable portion of territory now lay under the firm control of the Pakistani Army, and the Kashmir conflict was born. In September 1948, under the instructions of the Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel, Baldev Singh and his commanders prepared plans for Operation Polo, a week-long operation that annexed the princely state of Hyderabad into the Indian Union. Singh remained a close advisor to Patel on managing the Kashmir conflict and the issues of political integration of India. Baldev Singh was removed from the post of defense minister "As Nehru lost confidence in the political integrity of Baldev Singh." Later life In 1952, Baldev Singh was elected to the Parliament of India as a member of the Indian National Congress, in the first democratic elections under the new Constitution of India. However, he did not join the Nehru administration. Singh remained the major political representative of the Sikh concerns and was respected by the Akali Dal. He was re-elected to the Parliament in 1957. Singh died in Delhi after a prolonged illness in 1961. He was survived by his two sons, Sarjit Singh (1927–1993 AD) and Gurdip Singh. Sarjit Singh was the Co-operatives minister in the government of Parkash Singh Badal. He was married to Raj Mohinder Kaur and is survived by his son TejBal Singh and his daughter Jaspreet Kaur. Gurdip Singh was married to Baljit Kaur and had 4 children. Baldev Singh had 7 great grandchildren. His nephew Ravi Inder Singh was the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. See also History of the Punjab Indian independence movement Partition of India Shiromani Akali Dal Tara Singh Malhotra References External links https://web.archive.org/web/20051102003148/http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/personalities/sewadars/baldev.html 1902 births 1961 deaths First Nehru ministry Indian Sikhs Shiromani Akali Dal politicians People of British India People from Rupnagar India MPs 1952–1957 Members of the Constituent Assembly of India