Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley announced the death of her father, Ajit Singh Randhawa, on Father's Day.
Haley broke the sad news in a post on X, which included a picture of father and daughter sharing an embrace.
The cause of death was not shared but it has been reported that her father had a form of cancer. Haley said he died in the morning on Father's Day.
"This morning I had to say goodbye to the smartest, sweetest, kindest, most decent man I have ever known," Haley wrote in the post.
"My heart is heavy knowing he is gone. He taught his kids the importance of faith, hard work, and grace. He was an amazing husband of 64 years, a loving grandfather and great grandfather, and the best father to his four children. He was such a blessing to all of us.”
This morning I had to say goodbye to the smartest, sweetest, kindest, most decent man I have ever known. My heart is heavy knowing he is gone. He taught his kids the importance of faith, hard work, and grace. He was an amazing husband of 64 years, a loving grandfather and great… pic.twitter.com/bQIkH8QUyz
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) June 16, 2024
Haley served as governor of South Carolina and as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration.
She challenged Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. She was the last challenger standing before she dropped out in March. She has said she plans to vote for Trump in November.
In January, she left campaigning to be with her father at the hospital.
Nikki Haley was born in South Carolina in 1972 to educated Indian immigrants from Punjab, the historic center of the Sikh community.
Her father got a doctorate at the University of British Columbia before settling in South Carolina, where he worked as a biology professor at Voorhees College.
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham (R-Sc.) described Haley's father as a testament to the American dream in a tribute over X.
Very sad to hear about the passing of Nikki Haley’s father, Ajit. He was a great man who lived the American dream to the fullest and was beloved by his family and many friends, including me.
Ajit’s story was a wonderful testament to what can happen in America from hard work and…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 17, 2024
RIP.
