Former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Passes Away at 79.
Obituary
On 5th August 2025, Satya Pal Malik, former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), passed away at the age of 79 in New Delhi. Born on 24th July 1946 in Hisawada village, Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh (UP), he was a prominent political leader who held several high-profile gubernatorial and parliamentary roles during his career.
- Satya Pal Malik began his parliamentary career as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, serving between 1980 and 1989. He later represented Aligarh, UP, as a Lok Sabha MP from 1989 to 1991. His early political career marked him as a leader with strong grassroots connections and a deep involvement in national politics.
- He served as the Governor of five Indian states during his tenure. Malik was appointed the 27th Governor of Bihar in 2017, and in 2018, he briefly held additional charge as Governor of Odisha. His most notable assignment came as the 10th Governor of Jammu & Kashmir from 2018 to 2019, during a politically sensitive period.
Main Point :- (i) From 2019 to 2020, he served as the 18th Governor of Goa, where he continued his administrative responsibilities. Subsequently, he was appointed as the 19th Governor of Meghalaya, a role he held from 2020 to 2022. These assignments showcased his adaptability in handling diverse regional governance challenges across India.
(ii) In 1990, Satya Pal Malik was appointed as the Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism in the government led by Vishwanath Pratap Singh. His administrative acumen was further recognised when he was appointed as the National Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2012, and he was reappointed to the same position in 2014.
(iii) A key moment in Malik’s career was his tenure as the last Governor of Jammu & Kashmir before the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the state on 5th August 2019. Following the change, the Governor’s post was abolished, and G.C. Murmu became the first Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory. This period marked a turning point in J&K’s political and constitutional history.
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