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List of governors of Meghalaya facts for kids

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Governor of Meghalaya
Seal of Meghalaya.svg
Emblem of Meghalaya
C H Vijayashankar.jpg
Incumbent
C. H. Vijayashankar

since 30 July 2024
Style His Excellency
Residence Raj Bhavan; Shillong
Appointer President of India
Term length At the pleasure of the president
Inaugural holder Braj Kumar Nehru
Formation 21 January 1972; 53 years ago (1972-01-21)

The Governor of Meghalaya is an important official in the Indian state of Meghalaya. Think of them as the state's main representative, chosen by the President of India. The Governor lives in a special house called the Raj Bhavan in Shillong. They hold their position for as long as the President wishes.

The role of the Governor of Meghalaya began when Meghalaya became a separate state in January 1972. Before that, Meghalaya was part of Assam. The very first governor was Braj Kumar Nehru. He was already the Governor of Assam and took on the extra duty for Meghalaya. This continued for many years, with the Governor of Assam also serving Meghalaya.

The first full-time Governor of Meghalaya was A. A. Rahim, who started in July 1989. The person currently serving as Governor is C. H. Vijayashankar, who took office on July 30, 2024. The longest-serving governor was M. M. Jacob, who held the position for almost 12 years, from 1995 to 2007.

How the Governor's Role Began

The position of the Governor of Meghalaya started on January 21, 1972. This was the day Meghalaya became its own independent state. The first person to hold this office was Braj Kumar Nehru. He was already the Governor of Assam at the time. He also looked after Meghalaya until September 1973.

For many years, the Governor of Assam also served as the Governor of Meghalaya. This meant one person had two important jobs. This changed in July 1989 when A. A. Rahim became the first full-time Governor just for Meghalaya. Since then, most governors have been full-time for the state.

Sometimes, if a governor leaves or retires, another state's governor might temporarily take on the role for Meghalaya. This happened a few times, like when the Governor of Manipur or West Bengal also served Meghalaya for a short period.

What the Governor Does

The Governor of Meghalaya has several important jobs and powers. These powers help them manage the state and ensure things run smoothly.

  • Executive Powers: These powers are about running the government. The Governor helps with appointments, like choosing certain officials, and can also remove them if needed.
  • Legislative Powers: These powers are about making laws. The Governor plays a role in the state's lawmaking body, which is called the Vidhan Sabha. They can approve laws or send them back for review.
  • Discretionary Powers: These are special powers the Governor can use on their own judgment. They use these powers in specific situations where they need to make a decision without advice from others.

Besides these official duties, the Governor of Meghalaya is also the Chief Rector of the North Eastern Hill University. This is the main central university in the state.

List of Governors of Meghalaya

Here is a list of the people who have served as the Governor of Meghalaya. Meghalaya became an independent state on January 21, 1972.

No. Name Portrait From To
1 Braj Kumar Nehru Braj Kumar Nehru with Kennedy (cropped).jpg 21 January 1972 18 September 1973
2 Lallan Prasad Singh 19 September 1973 10 August 1981
3 Prakash Mehrotra Prakash Mehrotra.jpg 11 August 1981 28 March 1984
4 Bhishma Narain Singh 16 April 1984 10 May 1989
5 Harideo Joshi Haridev Joshi.jpg 11 May 1989 21 July 1989
6 A. A. Rahim A.A.Rahim(inc).jpg 27 July 1989 8 May 1990
7 Madhukar Dighe 9 May 1990 18 June 1995
8 M. M. Jacob M.M. Jacob photo.jpg 19 June 1995 11 April 2007
9 Banwari Lal Joshi Banwari Lal Joshi.jpg 12 April 2007 28 October 2007
10 Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary, Director-General of BSF in 2005 (cropped).jpg 1 July 2008 30 June 2013
11 Krishan Kant Paul Governor of Uttarakhand Krishan Kant Paul (cropped).jpg 1 July 2013 6 January 2015
12 V. Shanmuganathan The Governor-designate of Meghalaya, Shri V. Shanmuganathan calling on the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi on May 13, 2015.jpg (cropped).jpg 20 May 2015 27 January 2017
13 Ganga Prasad Ganga Prasad in July 2018 (portrait).JPG 5 October 2017 25 August 2018
14 Tathagata Roy Tathagata Roy with Rajnath Singh in May 2015 (cropped).jpg 25 August 2018 18 December 2019
15 Tathagata Roy Tathagata Roy with Rajnath Singh in May 2015 (cropped).jpg 27 January 2020 18 August 2020
16 Satya Pal Malik The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Satya Pal Malik calling on the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi on October 10, 2018 (cropped).JPG 18 August 2020 3 October 2022
17 Phagu Chauhan Phagu Chauhan.jpg 18 February 2023 29 July 2024
18 C H Vijayashankar C H Vijayashankar.jpg 30 July 2024 Incumbent

See also

  • Meghalaya
  • Governors of India
  • Chief Minister of Meghalaya
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