Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been named the new Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Delhi, as confirmed by Rashtrapati Bhavan. Sandhu will succeed Vinai Kumar Saxena, who has held the position since May 26, 2022. During Saxena’s tenure, he notably had a more outspoken role compared to his predecessors.
In addition to the change in Delhi’s leadership, several other states saw shifts in their Governors. R.N. Ravi took over as the Governor of West Bengal, replacing C.V. Ananda Bose, while Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) was appointed as the new Governor of Bihar. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, a seasoned diplomat who previously served as India’s Ambassador to the US, joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988 and played a pivotal role in establishing the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.
Sandhu’s diplomatic career included significant roles such as First Secretary at the Indian Embassy in Washington, Consul General of India in Frankfurt, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington D.C. After retiring from the Indian Foreign Service, Sandhu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a Master of Arts from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Vinai Kumar Saxena, the outgoing L-G of Delhi, has been appointed as Ladakh’s L-G, replacing Kavinder Gupta, who will now serve as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. The transitions for these appointments will occur upon assuming office, as stated by Rashtrapati Bhavan.
