Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced that her father has died in a touching social media post.
Haley’s father, Ajit Singh Randhawa, died on Father’s Day, according to a heartfelt tweet that read: “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 grandfather, and the best father to his four children,” the former 2024 presidential candidate wrote.
She added: “He was such a blessing to all of us. Happy Father’s Day Dad. We will miss you dearly.”
Haley spoke about her parents frequently throughout her political career.
In her 2024 campaign launch video, Haley said: “I was the proud daughter of Indian immigrants.” She has discussed how her parents, both Sikh, moved from India to Canada, where Randhawa could finish up his PhD. His career eventually took him to Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina, where he taught as a professor.
In her memoir Can’t Is Not an Option, the former UN ambassador called her parents “more American than anyone I knew.”
“The fact that I was their daughter had made me stronger, not weaker,” Haley wrote.
The former South Carolina governor made history as the first woman of color to run for the GOP nomination, but she dropped out of the race in March. Last month, she announced that she would be voting for Donald Trump for president.
