Who is Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the new Kerala Governor

Newly appointed Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on his arrival in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on January 1, 2025.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who was sworn in as the new Governor of Kerala on Thursday (January 2, 2025), takes over as the 23rd Governor of Kerala. Until recently Governor of Bihar, Mr. Arlekar replaces Arif Mohammed Khan.

Mr. Arlekar’s stint is watched with immense interest given the tumultuous relationship his predecessor had with the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government in Kerala.

Clad in traditional Kerala attire, Mr. Arlekar took the oath in Raj Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram, in the name of god.

A commerce graduate, Mr. Arlekar, 70, hails from Goa. Prior to his appointment as Bihar Governor, he was the Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

A member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from a young age and later the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mr. Arlekar is a former minister and speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. He was elected to the State Assembly twice. He was Speaker from 2012 to 2015 and the Minister for Forest and Environment and Panchayats, Goa, from 2015 to 2017.

He was appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh in July 2021, and that of Bihar in February 2023. Mr. Arlekar has held senior positions in the State unit of the BJP.

Mr. Arlekar is married to Anagha Arlekar. The couple has two children.