Governor of Punjab is a nominal head and representative of the President of India in the state of Punjab. The Governor is appointed by the President for a term of 5 years. The current Governor of Punjab is V.P. Singh Badnore. Since 1985, the Governor of Punjab has acted as the Administrator of Chandigarh as well.
The Governors of Punjab are as follows:
Chandulal Madhavlal Trivedi
Chandulal Madhavlal Trivedi served as the 1st Governor of Punjab after Independence in 1947. His tenure was from 15th August 1947 to 11th March 1953. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1956.
Sir Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh
Sir Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh was the 2nd Governor of Punjab from 11th March 1953 to 15th September 1958. In 1977 he was honoured with a Padma Vibhushan for meritorious services rendered to the country.
Narahar Vishnu Gadgil
Narahar Vishnu Gadgil became the 3rd Governor of Punjab from 15th September 1958 to 1st October 1962. He was an Indian freedom fighter and a writer. He belonged to the Indian National Congress party. He was a pioneer in social reform movements in Maharashtra in the 1930s.
Pattom Thanu Pillai
Pattom Thanu Pillai served as the 4th Governor of Punjab from 1st October 1962 to 4th May 1964. He was known as the "Bhishmacharya" of Kerala politics. He was a participant in the Indian independence movement who later served as the Chief Minister of Kerala.
Hafiz Muhammad Ibrahim
Hafiz Muhammad Ibrahim was the 5th Governor of Punjab from 4th May 1964 to 1st September 1965. He belonged to the Indian National Congress.
Sardar Ujjal Singh
Sardar Ujjal Singh became the 6th Governor of Punjab from 1st September 1965 to 26th June 1966.
Dharma Vira
Dharma Vira served as the 7th Governor of Punjab from 27th June 1966 to 1st June 1967. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan award in 1999.
Mehar Singh
Mehar Singh was the 8th Governor of Punjab from 1st June 1967 to 16th October 1967.
Dadasaheb Chintanani Pavate
Dadasaheb Chintanani Pavate became the 9th Governor of Punjab from 16th October 1967 to 21st May 1973. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan award in 1967.
Mahendra Mohan Choudhury
Mahendra Mohan Choudhury served as the 10th Governor of Punjab from 21st May 1973 to 1st September 1977. He was a freedom fighter and Chief Minister of Assam.
Ranjit Singh Narula
Ranjit Singh Narula was the 11th acting Governor of Punjab from 1st September 1977 to 24th September 1977.
Jaisukh Lal Hathi
Jaisukh Lal Hathi became the 12th Governor of Punjab from 24th September 1977 to 26th August 1981.
Aminuddin Ahmad Khan
Aminuddin Ahmad Khan served as the 13th Governor of Punjab from 26th August 1981 to 21st April 1982. He was the last Nawab of Princely State of Loharu. He belonged to the Indian National Congress party.
Marri Chenna Reddy
Marri Chenna Reddy was the 14th Governor of Punjab from 21st April 1982 to 7th February 1983. He was a leader of Indian National Congress. He took an active role in the movement for a separate Telangana State.
S.S. Sandhawalia
S.S. Sandhawalia became the 15th acting Governor of Punjab from 7th February 1983 to 21st February 1983. He was also the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Anant Prasad Sharma
Anant Prasad Sharma served as the 16th Governor of Punjab from 21st February 1983 to 10th October 1983. He was a Railway Union Leader and also served as the Governor of West Bengal.
Bhairab Dutt Pande
Bhairab Dutt Pande was the 17th Governor of Punjab from 10th October 1983 to 3rd July 1984.
Kershasp Tehmurasp Satarawala
Kershasp Tehmurasp Satarawala became the 18th Governor of Punjab from 3rd July 1984 to 14th March 1985. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1983 for his contributions to the society.
Arjun Singh
Arjun Singh served as the 19th Governor of Punjab from 14th March 1985 to 14th November 1985. He belonged to the Indian National Congress party and has also served two terms as the 12th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
Hokishe Sema
Hokishe Sema was the 20th Governor of Punjab from 14th November 1985 to 26th November 1985. He was the Chief Minister of Nagaland for four times.
Shankar Dayal Sharma
Shankar Dayal Sharma became the 21st Governor of Punjab from 26th November 1985 to 2nd April 1986. He was the 9th President of India, 8th Vice-President and also the Chief Minister of Bhopal. He belonged to the Indian National Congress.
Siddharta Shankar Ray
Siddharta Shankar Ray served as the 22nd Governor of Punjab from 2nd April 1986 to 8th December 1989. He was a well known barrister of Calcutta High Court and also the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
Nirmal Mukarji
Nirmal Mukarji was the 23rd Governor of Punjab from 8th December 1989 to 14th June 1990. He was the founder of the Pakistan-India People`s Forum for Peace and Democracy.
Virendra Verma
Virendra Verma became the 24th Governor of Punjab from 14th June 1990 to 18th December 1990.
Om Prakash Malhotra
Om Prakash Malhotra served as the 25th Governor of Punjab from 18th December 1990 to 7th August 1991. He also served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.
Surendra Nath
Surendra Nath was the 26th Governor of Punjab from 7th August 1991 to 9th July 1994. He was an Indian Police Service officer.
Sudhakar Panditrao Kurdukar
Sudhakar Panditrao Kurdukar became the 27th acting Governor of Punjab from 10th July 1994 to 18th September 1994. He is a former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Judge of the Supreme Court and Bombay High Court.
B.K.N. Chhibber
B.K.N. Chhibber served as the 28th Governor of Punjab from 18th September 1994 to 27th November 1999.
J. F. R. Jacob
J. F. R. Jacob was the 29th Governor of Punjab from 27th November 1999 to 8th May 2003. He was an Indian Army officer. He was best known for the role he played in the creation of Bangladesh in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.
Om Prakash Verma
Om Prakash Verma became the 30th Governor of Punjab from 8th May 2003 to 3rd November 2004. He was also the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court.
Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai
Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai served as the 31st Governor of Punjab from 3rd November 2004 to 16th November 2004. He was Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University and a recipient of Padma Vibhushan in 2011.
Sunith Francis Rodrigues
Sunith Francis Rodrigues was the 32nd Governor of Punjab from 16th November 2004 to 22nd January 2010. He was Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army.
Shivraj Patil
Shivraj Patil became the 33rd Governor of Punjab from 22nd January 2010 to 21st January 2015. He was also the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
Kaptan Singh Solanki
Kaptan Singh Solanki served as the 34th Governor of Punjab from 21st January 2015 to 22nd August 2016.
V. P. Singh Badnore
V. P. Singh Badnore is the 35th and the present Governor of Punjab from 2016. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.