Jagdeep Dhankhar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jagdeep Dhankhar
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Official portrait, 2025
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| 14th Vice President of India | |
| In office 11 August 2022 – 21 July 2025 |
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| President | Droupadi Murmu |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | M. Venkaiah Naidu |
| Succeeded by | C. P. Radhakrishnan |
| Governor of West Bengal | |
| In office 30 July 2019 – 18 July 2022 |
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| Chief Minister | Mamata Banerjee |
| Preceded by | Keshari Nath Tripathi |
| Succeeded by | La. Ganesan (additional charge) |
| Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office 21 November 1990 – 21 June 1991 |
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| Minister | Satya Prakash Malaviya |
| Preceded by | P. Namgyal |
| Succeeded by | R. K. Kumar |
| Member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 4 December 1993 – 29 November 1998 |
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| Speaker | Hari Shankar Bhabhra Shanti Lal Chaplot |
| Preceded by | Jagjeet Singh |
| Succeeded by | Nathu Ram |
| Constituency | Kishangarh |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 2 December 1989 – 21 June 1991 |
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| Speaker | Rabi Ray |
| Preceded by | Mohd. Ayub Khan |
| Succeeded by | Mohd. Ayub Khan |
| Constituency | Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 May 1951 Kithana, Rajasthan, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Indian National Congress (1991–2003) Janata Dal (until 1991) |
| Spouse |
Sudesh Dhankhar
(m. 1979) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Rajasthan (B.Sc, LLB) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Jagdeep Dhankhar (born 18 May 1951) is an important Indian politician and a skilled lawyer. He served as the Vice President of India from 2022 until July 2025. Before that, he was the Governor of West Bengal from 2019 to 2022. He also held other significant roles, including a Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs from 1990 to 1991. He was a member of the Lok Sabha (one of India's main parliamentary houses) from 1989 to 1991 and a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1993 to 1998. Throughout his career, he has been part of different political parties in India, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian National Congress (INC), and the Janata Dal (JD).
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Early Life and Education
Jagdeep Dhankhar was born on May 18, 1951, in a village called Kithana, located in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, India. He grew up in a family that valued education.
He attended Sainik School, Chittorgarh for his school studies. He also went to Kithana Government School and Ghardhana Government School for his early education. Later, he studied at the University of Rajasthan in Jaipur, where he earned degrees in Science (B.Sc) and Law (LLB).
In 1979, Dhankhar married Sudesh Dhankhar. They have a daughter named Kamna.
A Career in Law
Jagdeep Dhankhar started his career as a lawyer in 1979. He joined the Bar Council of Rajasthan. In 1990, he became a Senior Advocate at the Rajasthan High Court. This title is given to experienced and respected lawyers. He held this important position until he became a Governor in 2019.
Since 1990, he mainly worked on cases related to constitutional law in the Supreme Court of India. He also worked in many other high courts across India. He even served as the president of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association. One notable case he worked on was the Sutlej River water dispute in 2016, where he represented the state of Haryana.
Political Journey
Jagdeep Dhankhar has been involved in politics for many years. He was a member of different political parties, including the Janata Dal and the Indian National Congress.
From 1989 to 1991, he served as a member of the Lok Sabha. He represented the Jhunjhunu Lok Sabha constituency in Rajasthan during this time.
Later, from 1993 to 1998, he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kishangarh, Rajasthan. This meant he helped make laws for the state.
In 2003, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He played a role in the party's election campaigns and led its law and legal affairs department in 2016.
Governor of West Bengal (2019–2022)
On July 20, 2019, Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. He took his oath of office on July 30, 2019. A Governor is a representative of the President in an Indian state.
During his time as Governor, Dhankhar had some disagreements with the state government and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee. They often had different views on political matters.
On July 17, 2022, Dhankhar resigned from his position as Governor. He did this because he was chosen as a candidate for the Vice President of India by the National Democratic Alliance.
Serving as Vice President (2022–2025)
The 2022 Vice-Presidential Election
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In July 2022, the BJP chose Jagdeep Dhankhar as their candidate for the Vice President of India. He was presented as a "kisan putra," which means "farmer's son," highlighting his humble background.
He ran against Margaret Alva, who was the candidate from the opposition parties. On July 18, 2022, Dhankhar officially submitted his nomination papers. Important leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi were with him.
The election took place on August 6, 2022. Jagdeep Dhankhar won with a large number of votes, becoming the 14th Vice President of India.
His Time in Office
Dhankhar officially became the Vice President on August 11, 2022. He took his oath of office from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.
As Vice President, he had many important duties. For example, on September 19, 2023, he spoke at a special meeting of both houses of the Indian Parliament. This event marked the last time the Parliament used its historic old building.
He also named a new naval ship, the INS Mahendragiri, on September 1, 2023. This is a type of warship called a frigate.
Dhankhar often spoke about India's rich history and culture. On World Tourism Day, he encouraged Indians to explore their own country's beautiful places first. He called India a "heaven for tourism."
He also supported increasing the use of Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, in daily life. He described Sanskrit as a "cultural anchor" for human civilization. He also expressed interest in balancing traditional Indian medicine, like Ayurveda and Siddha, with modern medical science.
In his role as chairman of the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of Parliament), he made sure that 17 women members were included in a special panel. This happened when the Parliament was discussing a bill about women's power and representation.
Disagreements in Parliament
During his time as chairman of the Rajya Sabha, there were times when opposition parties expressed concerns about his decisions. They felt he sometimes favored members of his own party. In December 2024, some opposition groups proposed a motion to show their lack of confidence in him. They claimed he prevented them from discussing certain issues while allowing others. However, this motion was not formally discussed because the parliamentary session ended.
Journeys to Other Countries
Jagdeep Dhankhar made several important trips to other countries as Vice President.
His first official trip was to Cambodia in November 2022. He attended important meetings there, celebrating 70 years of friendship between India and Cambodia. He also visited ancient temples like Ta Prohm Temple and Angkor Wat Temple to see restoration work done by Indian experts.
In November 2022, he also visited Qatar at the invitation of its leader, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
In May 2023, Dhankhar traveled to London to attend the coronation of King Charles III. He represented India at this historic event. Before the coronation, he met with King Charles III and other world leaders, including the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden.
In May 2024, he visited Iran to offer condolences after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials in a helicopter accident.
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Resignation from Office
On July 21, 2025, Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down as Vice President. He explained that he needed to focus on his health and follow medical advice. He was the third Vice President in India's history to resign before finishing his full term. His resignation led to a special election to choose a new Vice President.
See also
In Spanish: Jagdeep Dhankhar para niños
- List of governors of West Bengal
- 2022 Indian vice presidential election
