A quiet but consequential voice in Himachal Pradesh's power-sector labour movement has fallen silent. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday, 19 October 2026, expressed deep grief over the passing of Chandra Singh Mandiyal, a veteran trade union leader who devoted decades to safeguarding the rights of electricity workers and retirees in the state.

In his condolence message posted in Hindi on X, Chief Minister Sukhu called the loss 'irreplaceable' for the employee and pensioner community — 'अपूरणीय क्षति' (an irreplaceable loss). He prayed that 'God grant peace to the departed soul and give the bereaved family the strength to bear this immense grief.'

Two unions, one lifelong cause

Chandra Singh Mandiyal served as Former General Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board Employees Union, the principal trade union representing workers of the state-owned power utility. After retiring from that role, he continued his advocacy as the sitting General Secretary of the Electricity Pensioners Forum, an association dedicated to protecting the service benefits and welfare entitlements of retired electricity board employees. His career thus bridged two generations of the same struggle — first for those still in service, then for those who had hung up their tools.

Chief Minister Sukhu's statement specifically highlighted Mandiyal's 'struggle, dedication and contribution' in defending the rights of employees and pensioners — language that signals recognition not just of seniority, but of an active, combative legacy within Himachal's public-sector labour movement.

A condolence with institutional weight

Indian state chief ministers routinely acknowledge the passing of long-serving trade union leaders in public utilities, a practice that reflects the political and social weight such figures carry in constituencies where government employment remains a dominant livelihood. In Himachal Pradesh, where the electricity board is one of the largest state employers, the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board Employees Union has historically been a significant organised voice during wage revisions, service rule negotiations, and restructuring debates. Mandiyal's work at the Electricity Pensioners Forum extended that influence into the often-overlooked arena of post-retirement welfare.

With Mandiyal's passing, questions of succession within the Electricity Pensioners Forum are likely to draw attention from the pensioner community across the state.