Satyapal Malik’s ancestral village mourns his demise; people remember him as a humble leader

As news of former Governor Satyapal Malik’s passing reached his ancestral village Hisawda in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district on Tuesday morning, a wave of grief swept through the community.

The village fell silent. The courtyard of the family’s 300-year-old haveli, where Malik had spent his childhood, now stood cloaked in a haunting stillness.

Though Malik’s immediate family no longer resides permanently in the village, many of his relatives and extended kin still live there. The haveli, unchanged despite the passage of time, serves as a poignant reminder of a leader who remained deeply rooted in his origins, despite having held some of the highest constitutional offices in the country.

According to his nephew Amit Malik, Satyapal Malik received his early education at the local primary school in the village. He later cycled several kilometres daily to attend MGM Inter College in Dhikouli and eventually graduated from Meerut College.

“He was always disciplined and passionate about education. That left a lasting impression on the children in the village,” Amit said.

Family member Manish Malik recalled that Satyapal was the only child of his parents and had a deeply emotional and family-oriented nature. “No matter how high a position he held, he never turned away a villager who came to meet him,” Manish said.

Village elder Virendra Singh Malik, who is six years older than Satyapal, said, “He treated me like an elder brother. Every time he visited the village, he would come to meet me. He was always humble and respectful.” He added that Malik had a shy demeanour during his youth and enjoyed playing volleyball.

Another elderly villager, Bijendra Singh, remembered him as a soft-spoken leader with strong family values. “He was a man of simplicity and clarity, someone who could connect with people from all walks of life,” he said.

Satyapal’s cousin Gyanendra Malik shared memories of his last visit to the village in February 2023 after he retired from gubernatorial service. The village held a special ‘chaupal’ (community gathering) in his honour, where Malik had addressed the villagers, saying, “I have always spoken up for farmers and labourers, and I will continue to do so.” Satyapal walked through the village lanes, reminiscing with old friends and sharing memories from his youth, he said.

The former Governor began his political career in 1972 while still residing in Hisawda, contesting and winning the Baghpat Assembly seat as a Lok Dal candidate. Over the decades, he went on to serve as both a Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MP, and later held the gubernatorial posts in Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, Bihar, Odisha and Meghalaya.

His death has also cast a pall over Baghpat town, where people gathered in municipal offices to share old photographs and pay their respects. Prominent figures, including former MLC Jagat Singh and senior advocate Devendra Arya, expressed sorrow.

For the residents of Hisawda, Malik’s passing marks the end of an era. “He was one of those rare leaders who, even while occupying high constitutional offices, spoke fearlessly for the common people. And he never distanced himself from his roots,” said one villager, summing up the collective sentiment.

Satyapal Malik died aged 79 at 1.12 pm on Tuesday at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi after a prolonged illness, his personal staff said. He was in the ICU of the hospital for a long time, getting treatment for various ailments, the staff added.