Former J&K Governor Malik passes away at 79

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was 79.

Malik, who had also held the positions of Governor of Goa, Bihar, Meghalaya and Odisha, besides being a member of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in his long political career, died at 1.12 pm at Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. He was in the ICU of the hospital for a long time, getting treatment for various ailments.

PM mourns death

Saddened by the passing away of Satyapal Malik. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this hour of grief: PM Modi, in a post on X

“It is with deep regret that we confirm the demise of Satyapal Malik, who had been receiving intensive care at our facility," the hospital authorities said in a statement.

He had a longstanding history of diabetic kidney disease, hypertension and other chronic health issues, including morbid obesity and obstructive sleep apnea, it said.

Malik served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to 2019, a tenure marked by significant political developments. During his time in office, the Centre abrogated Article 370, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The 2019 Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, also occurred under his governorship. In 2023, Malik attributed the attack to “systemic failure, involving gross security and intelligence lapses”.

Before his appointment in Jammu and Kashmir, Malik was the Governor of Bihar (2017) and later served in Goa and Meghalaya. A seasoned politician, he entered public life in 1965, inspired by socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia. Over the years, he was associated with multiple parties, including the Congress and the BJP. He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1974 on a Bharatiya Kranti Dal ticket from Baghpat and served as the party’s chief whip.

In 2004, he joined the BJP and contested the Baghpat Lok Sabha seat. By 2012, he rose to become the party’s national vice-president. Malik also held the position of Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism in 1990. In his later years, he became a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.