Indian leader Satyapal Malik, who was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, died on August 5, 2025, after a long illness. He was 79 years old. He died around 1:10 PM at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, where he was getting care for problems with his kidneys and other health issues.
Early life and career in politics
Malik was born on July 24, 1946, in the town of Hisawada in the district of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. He got involved in politics as a student leader and was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1974. In the beginning of his career, he worked with Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal. He worked for several political groups over the years, such as the Janata Dal, the Congress, the Lok Dal, the Samajwadi Party, and finally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), where he was named national vice president in 2012.
Roles as Governor
During his time, Malik was the Governor of a number of states. Besides being governor of Jammu and Kashmir, he was also governor of Bihar from 2017 to 2018, Odisha (as an extra charge in 2018), Goa from 2019 to 2020, and Meghalaya from 2020 to 2022. His appointments happened at times that were highly sensitive and needed strong leadership.
How long was he the governor of Jammu and Kashmir
From August 2018 to October 2019, he was the last Governor of what used to be the state of Jammu and Kashmir. During his time in office, important political events like the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, ended Kashmir’s special autonomy and created two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He was also in charge during very important times, like the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019, which killed many security forces.
Leave behind contributions
Malik spoke out for farmers’ rights and national security problems, especially in Jammu and Kashmir. He was known as a Kisan Neta, or farmer leader. During his more than 50 years in politics, he held a number of different legislative and executive positions that had an impact on both local and national politics.
Sending condolences and a final tribute
Politicians and regular people alike have expressed sadness over Satyapal Malik’s death and praised his many years of service. He leaves behind a history of public service that spans many Indian states and political venues.
He passed away after a long illness. This was the end of an important political career in India.
