Thiruvananthapuram: Om Prakash Mathur was sworn in as Kerala’s 29th Governor on Friday at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the oath of office.
Mathur succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who has been appointed Governor of Tamil Nadu as part of a wider reshuffle announced by President Droupadi Murmu on October 12.
Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan, Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, state ministers and elected representatives attended the swearing in ceremony. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang was also present, accompanied by a delegation from Sikkim.
Mathur arrived in Kerala on Thursday, October 22, ahead of the ceremony. Satheesan welcomed him at the airport and extended his wishes as he prepared to assume office.
Before his appointment to Kerala, Mathur served as the Governor of Sikkim. He assumed that position on July 31, 2024, becoming the state’s 18th Governor. His transfer to Kerala was part of a series of gubernatorial changes announced by the President involving several Indian states.
The October 12 reshuffle also included appointments in Odisha, Karnataka and Uttarakhand, alongside changes in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sikkim. The appointments formed part of a wider reorganisation of gubernatorial responsibilities across the country.
Mathur brings decades of political and organisational experience to the office. He has held senior positions in the Bharatiya Janata Party, including serving as its national general secretary. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s Parliament, representing Rajasthan.
Originally from Bedal village in the Bali area of Rajasthan’s Pali district, Mathur began his public life through the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He later took on organisational responsibilities within the BJP and worked in different parts of the country.
As Governor, Mathur will serve as the constitutional head of Kerala. The office carries responsibilities relating to the state government, the legislature and other constitutional procedures. The Governor’s role is distinct from that of the elected government, which continues to be led by Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan.
With the swearing in ceremony completed on Friday, Mathur has formally assumed his new responsibilities in Kerala following his tenure in Sikkim.