Former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik Passed Away at the Age of 79

Delhi (India) August 5: Satyapal Malik, 79, former Jammu and Kashmir governor, passed away at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after a prolonged illness, his secretary KS Rana confirmed on Tuesday. Malik had been undergoing treatment for kidney-related complications.

Authorities at Delhi hospital said that the former governor passed away at 1:10 PM on Tuesday, reported news agency ANI. Malik was admitted to the hospital on May 11 and had been receiving dialysis as part of his treatment. 

Earlier on June 8, Satyapal Malik had shared a health update on social media, describing his condition as “serious.” A day prior, the veteran politician posted on X that he had been hospitalised for the past month and was undergoing treatment for kidney-related issues.

Who was Satyapal Malik?

Satyapal Malik was an Indian politician who served as the last Governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to October 2019.

During his tenure, Article 370 was abrogated and the special status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked on 5 August 2019. Today marks the sixth anniversary of the decision.

He was later appointed Governor of Goa and subsequently served as the Governor of Meghalaya until October 2022.

Malik entered active politics in 1965-66, inspired by the socialist ideology of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia. He quickly rose through student leadership ranks, serving as President of the Meerut College Students Union and later as President of the Students Union at Meerut University, now known as Choudhary Charan Singh University.

Hailing from Baghpat in western UP, he was first elected on a ticket of Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal ticket.

In 1980, he was named to the Rajya Sabha by the Charan Singh-led Lok Dal named him to the Rajya Sabha. But in 1984, he joined the Congress,which sent him to the Rajya Sabha in 1986.