Om Prakash Mathur takes oath as 29th Governor of Keralam
The former Sikkim Governor was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Soumen Sen in Thiruvananthapuram.
Om Prakash Mathur took the oath of office as the 29th Governor of Keralam on Friday at a formal ceremony conducted at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the constitutional oath after the official warrant of appointment issued by President Droupadi Murmu was read out before the gathering. Mathur succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who moves to take charge as the Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Who attended the swearing-in
The ceremony at Lok Bhavan brought together top state dignitaries, senior lawmakers, and an official delegation from northeast India.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, Assembly Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, state cabinet ministers, and leaders across party lines were present as Mathur formally assumed gubernatorial responsibilities. Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan was absent from the event.
In a notable sign of interstate goodwill, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang arrived in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the ceremony in person, accompanied by Sikkim Assembly Speaker Mingma Norbu Sherpa, members of the Sikkim legislative assembly, and senior state officials.
Before taking the oath, Mathur visited the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the state capital earlier on Friday morning to offer prayers, having arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday evening.
Background and public service
Mathur brings decades of organisational and legislative experience to the gubernatorial role in Keralam, having previously served as the Governor of Sikkim.
| Detail | Profile |
|---|---|
| Home state | Rajasthan (Bedal, Pali district) |
| Education | Rajasthan University |
| Previous gubernatorial role | Governor of Sikkim |
| Legislative record | Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Rajasthan) |
| Organisational background | BJP National General Secretary (Gujarat in-charge) |
Born in Bedal village in the Bali tehsil of Rajasthan's Pali district, Mathur completed his higher education at Rajasthan University before entering public service as an RSS pracharak. Over his political career, he served as a national general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, holding key organisational responsibilities including charge of Gujarat, and represented Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha prior to his appointments to constitutional office.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gubernatorial tenure rank | 29th Governor of Keralam | Official appointment ceremony record |
| Date of swearing-in | 23 October 2026 | Official proceedings at Lok Bhavan |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Om Prakash Mathur | Sworn in as the 29th Governor of Keralam. |
