New Delhi, India – Midway through his address to voters in the searing heat of central India late in April, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari fainted and collapsed on stage. When he was revived a few minutes later, Gadkari returned to the podium, blaming the oppressive weather for the bout of unconsciousness.
Gadkari is only one among a series of politicians, election officials and campaign managers who have fainted or fallen sick in recent days, as the temperature in parts of India has reached 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). One TV anchor collapsed on air due to heat stroke, while she was reading out updates on a heatwave.
