New Delhi: In a major gubernatorial reshuffle aimed at bringing experienced political leadership to constitutional posts, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday appointed new governors across six states. The sweeping appointments affect the Raj Bhavans in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim. According to an official communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, several veteran political leaders, former parliamentarians, and organizational stalwarts have been entrusted with these pivotal roles.
Prominent among the fresh appointments is Dr. Sudha Yadav, who has been named the new Governor of Karnataka. A senior leader hailing from Haryana’s Rewari district, Dr. Yadav brings a strong academic and administrative background to the southern state. Holding a postgraduate degree and a PhD in Chemistry, she first entered the Lok Sabha in 1999 from Mahendragarh. Over the years, she has held crucial positions, including a stint as a member of the National Commission for Backward Classes, and was elevated to her party’s apex Parliamentary Board in August 2022.
The reshuffle also sees key changes in other southern states. Om Prakash Mathur, widely regarded as a veteran organizational strategist, has been appointed as the Governor of Kerala. Hailing from Rajasthan, Mathur previously assumed charge as the Governor of Sikkim in July 2024 before this recent transfer. Meanwhile, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar has been shifted to take over as the Governor of Tamil Nadu. A former speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly and state cabinet minister, Arlekar brings substantial gubernatorial experience, having previously served as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, and most recently, Kerala since January 2025.
For the eastern state of Odisha, the President has appointed Braj Mohan Ram as the new Governor. Born in the Palamu region, Ram served as a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in the early 1990s before representing the Palamu Lok Sabha constituency for two consecutive terms between 1996 and 2004.
In the northern hill state of Uttarakhand, Dr. Dhal Singh Bisen will take charge as the new Governor. A medical professional by training, Bisen is a seasoned politician from Madhya Pradesh who served as a four-term MLA, a state cabinet minister, and later as the Lok Sabha MP from Balaghat from 2019 to 2024.
Finally, the state of Sikkim will see Dushyant Gautam step in as its new Governor. With a long-standing association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since his early years in Agra, Gautam has been a key figure in public relations and digital campaign initiatives. He was also recently inducted as a member of the Sports Authority of India in March 2026.