Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed the new Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Thursday.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu will replace former Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena, who has been serving at the post since May 26, 2022, the Rashtrapati Bhavan noted on Thursday.
During his tenure as Delhi LG, Vinai Kumar Saxena made his role much more vocal than his predecessors.
Along with a major rejig in Delhi, Governors of several other states were also changed with Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi replacing C.V. Ananda Bose in West Bengal. Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) has been named as the new Governor of Bihar.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu is a former Indian diplomat who served as India's Ambassador to the US from February 2020 to January 31, 2024.
Sandhu, who joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1988, is credited with playing a key role in opening the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.
He served as the head of the political and administration wing at the Indian Embassy in Ukraine.
From serving as First Secretary at the Indian Embassy in Washington, to Consul General of India in Frankfurt, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington D.C., Sandhu held several key diplomatic assignments during his career spanning more than three-and-a-half decades.
After retiring from the IFS, Sandhu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party months before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP fielded Sandhu as its Lok Sabha candidate from Amritsar against Congress leader Gurjit Singh Aujla.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from St. Stephen's College at Delhi, and later completed his Master of Arts (MA) from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.
C.V. Ananda Bose tendered his resignation earlier on Thursday which was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu, media reported, citing a communique issued by her office.
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will discharge the functions of Governor of Tamil Nadu, it said.
Delhi's current L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena has been appointed as Ladakh's L-G in place of Kavinder Gupta, who has been named Himachal Pradesh Governor.
The above appointments will take effect from the dates they will assume charge of their respective offices, the statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
Who is Taranjit Singh Sandhu; Former US envoy appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi
Sandhu is a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service officer and most recently served as India's Ambassador to the United States from 2020 to 2024.
During his tenure in Washington, he played a significant role in strengthening India–US strategic cooperation, particularly in defence, technology partnerships, and Indo-Pacific initiatives.
Before becoming ambassador, Sandhu had previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Washington and held diplomatic assignments in several countries.
His appointment marks a rare instance of a senior diplomat transitioning directly into a constitutional role in the national capital.
