Satya Pal Malik, former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and a prominent political figure who held gubernatorial posts across several states, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79.
A seasoned politician known for his outspoken views and long political journey, Malik’s career spanned decades, during which he served as the Governor of Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, and Meghalaya. He also briefly held the additional charge of Odisha. Malik was at the forefront of one of India’s most significant political developments in recent years — the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir — during his tenure there in 2019.
Born in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, Malik belonged to the influential Jat community and had ancestral ties to Haryana. He entered politics in the mid-1960s, drawing inspiration from socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia. His political journey saw many shifts — from being the general secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee in the 1980s to co-founding Jan Morcha in response to the Bofors scandal, which eventually merged into the Janata Dal in 1988.
In 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and later rose to the position of national vice-president in 2012. He played a significant role in the BJP’s 2014 Lok Sabha campaign as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s core team.
Malik was first appointed as Governor of Bihar in 2017 and was later moved to Jammu and Kashmir in August 2018. His time in the Union Territory was marked by the historic move to revoke its special status under Article 370, which took place exactly six years ago on this date. Following this, he was transferred to Goa in October 2019, and shortly after, to Meghalaya, where he served until his retirement on October 4, 2022.
Known for his candid remarks on national issues, Malik remained in the public eye even after his retirement.
Further details on his funeral and tributes from political leaders are awaited.
