Manipur’s Governor, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, has been assigned the additional responsibility of Governor of Nagaland. This comes after the passing of La Ganesan, the former Governor of Nagaland. Ganesan, 80, passed away in a private hospital in Chennai on Friday, August 16th.
A government release stated that, due to the demise of La Ganesan, the President has appointed Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the Governor of Manipur, to discharge the functions of the Governor of Nagaland, in addition to his current duties.
Bhalla, a retired IAS officer, was appointed as the Governor of Manipur by President Droupadi Murmu last year. Bhalla is a retired IAS officer from the 1984 batch. He was appointed as the Union Home Secretary on August 22, 2019. He served as the Home Secretary of India for nearly five years, until August 22, 2024.
Following the death of Governor La Ganesan, a seven-day state mourning period has been declared in Nagaland, from August 16th to August 22nd. The state government announced that during this time, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed that La Ganesan will continue to inspire future generations. He also mentioned that Ganesan made tireless efforts to strengthen the bonds of unity and promote development in Nagaland.
La Ganesan, who was appointed as the 19th Governor of Nagaland in 2023, had previously served as Governor of Manipur and West Bengal (additional charge). On August 8th, La Ganesan suffered a serious head injury after falling at his residence in T. Nagar, Chennai. He was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai for treatment, but his condition did not improve, and he ultimately passed away.