List of governors of Jammu and Kashmir

The governor of Jammu and Kashmir was the head of the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir.

When India became independent, Hari Singh was the Maharaja of the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir. Technically he remained so until 17 November 1952, although from 20 June 1949 his son Karan Singh acted as regent. From 17 November 1952 to 30 March 1965, Karan Singh was the elected as the Sadr-e-Riyasat of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. On 30 March 1965, Karan Singh became the first Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

The office of governor was abolished after the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 was passed in August 2019 in the Parliament of India, reorganising the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, on 31 October 2019. Provisions contained within the act created the positions of Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.

Sadr-e-Riyasat of Jammu and Kashmir

# Name Term of office Ref
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Maharaja
Karan Singh
17 November 1952 30 March 1965 12 years, 133 days

Governors of Jammu and Kashmir

# Name Term of office Ref
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Maharaja
Karan Singh
30 March 1965 15 May 1967 2 years, 46 days
(total: 14 years, 179 days)
2 Bhagwan Sahay
ICS
15 May 1967 3 July 1973 6 years, 49 days
3 L. K. Jha
ICS
3 July 1973 22 February 1981 7 years, 234 days
4 B. K. Nehru
ICS
22 February 1981 26 April 1984 3 years, 64 days
5 Jagmohan Malhotra
IAS
26 April 1984 11 July 1989 5 years, 76 days
6 Gen.
K. V. Krishna Rao
PVSM
11 July 1989 19 January 1990 192 days
(5) Jagmohan Malhotra
IAS
19 January 1990 26 May 1990 127 days
(total: 5 years, 203 days)
7 Girish Chandra Saxena
IPS
26 May 1990 12 March 1993 2 years, 290 days
(6) Gen.
K. V. Krishna Rao
PVSM
12 March 1993 2 May 1998 5 years, 51 days
(total: 5 years, 243 days)
(7) Girish Chandra Saxena
IPS
2 May 1998 4 June 2003 5 years, 33 days
(total: 7 years, 365 days)
8 Lt. Gen
S. K. Sinha
PVSM, ADC
4 June 2003 25 June 2008 5 years, 21 days
9 N. N. Vohra
IAS
25 June 2008 23 August 2018 10 years, 59 days
10 Satya Pal Malik 23 August 2018 30 October 2019 1 year, 68 days
Jammu and Kashmir state partitioned on 31 October 2019

Janki Nath Wazir was acting governor after Karan Singh for two months, and Vazhakkulangarayil Khalid was acting governor for 12 days.

Timeline

Satya Pal Malik N. N. Vohra S. K. Sinha Girish Chandra Saxena K. V. Krishna Rao Jagmohan Malhotra B. K. Nehru L. K. Jha Bhagwan Sahay Karan Singh