Satyapal Malik passed away : Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor and veteran politician Satyapal Malik passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. Malik, 79, breathed his last at 1.10 pm at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in Delhi. He was suffering from serious kidney-related health issues for a long time and was undergoing treatment. Satyapal Malik served as governor in important states like Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa and Meghalaya. The news of his demise has created a wave of mourning across the country.
Political journey of Satyapal Malik
Satyapal Malik was born on 24 July 1946 in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh. He started his political career as the student union president at Meerut University. He was a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 1974-77 and served in the Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1989. Apart from this, from 1989-91 he was a Lok Sabha MP from Aligarh on a Janata Dal ticket.
Malik has worked with several political parties in his career, including the Lok Dal, the Congress, the Janata Dal, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In 2012, the BJP made him its national vice-president, and in 2017 he was appointed the governor of Bihar. The most important milestone in his career came in 2018, when he was made the governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
Historic tenure in Jammu and Kashmir
Satyapal Malik’s tenure in Jammu and Kashmir was historic in many ways. He was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir from 23 August 2018 to 30 October 2019. During his tenure, on 5 August 2019, the central government took the historic decision to abrogate Articles 370 and 35A, resulting in the end of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and it was divided into two union territories—Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Malik was the last governor of Jammu and Kashmir during this change.
However, his tenure was also surrounded by controversies. He made allegations of corruption during his tenure in Jammu and Kashmir and claimed that he was offered a bribe of Rs 300 crore, which he turned down. Apart from this, he also put forward his frank opinion on the Pulwama attack and security matters, which gave rise to a discussion at the national level.
Health problems and last days
Satyapal Malik was suffering from kidney-related problems for a long time. On May 11, 2025, he was admitted to RML Hospital in Delhi due to urinary problems. When his condition became critical, he was shifted to the ICU. In May 2025, a picture was shared on his official X handle, in which his critical condition was clear. On June 8, 2025, he himself posted on X that he has been hospitalized for about a month and is suffering from kidney problems.
His death was officially confirmed by his X handle, which wrote, “Former Governor Chaudhary Satyapal Singh Malik ji is no more.” His personal secretary Kanwar Singh Rana also confirmed this.
