Shri Kavinder Gupta has been appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
Shri Kavinder Gupta, born on 2 December 1959, is a seasoned Indian politician from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, currently serving as the 3rd Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh since July 2025. Known for his disciplined political journey and strong ideological foundation, Gupta has held several key positions over the decades, including his tenure as the last Deputy Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Gupta’s political engagement began early in life when he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of thirteen. He actively participated in the resistance during the Emergency and was imprisoned for thirteen months. His early commitment to nationalist ideals was further reinforced during his tenure as secretary of the Punjab unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (1978–79) and later as the president of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha from 1993 to 1998.
Demonstrating remarkable administrative skills, Gupta was elected Mayor of Jammu city for three consecutive terms from 2005 to 2010 — a record in the city’s civic history. His popularity and grassroots connection were further solidified in the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, where he won from the Gandhinagar constituency as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, defeating senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla.
On 19 March 2015, Gupta achieved another milestone by becoming the first-ever BJP leader to be elected Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. His stature within the party and the state leadership grew, culminating in his appointment as Deputy Chief Minister on 30 April 2018, following a cabinet reshuffle. However, this tenure was short-lived as he resigned on 19 June 2018 after the BJP withdrew support from its alliance with the PDP. The decision, as explained by party leadership, was driven by concerns over deteriorating law and order and rising radicalisation.
In recognition of his vast administrative experience and unwavering commitment to public service, Kavinder Gupta was appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on 14 July 2025 by President Droupadi Murmu. A dedicated leader with deep roots in organizational politics, Gupta brings a wealth of experience to his current role, aiming to steer the Union Territory of Ladakh toward greater development, stability, and integration with the national mainstream.
On the personal front, Kavinder Gupta is a family man with three children — two daughters and a son — who have stood by him through his extensive public life.
IndianBureaucracy.com wishes Shri Kavinder Gupta the very best.