Taranjit Singh Sandhu takes oath as Delhi Lieutenant Governor

Veteran diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu took the oath as the 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in a ceremony held at Lok Niwas, marking a new administrative chapter in the national Capital after a major reshuffle of governors and lieutenant governors across the country.

Sandhu replaces Vinai Kumar Saxena, who has been appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, during a formal ceremony attended by senior political leaders, officials, and a large gathering of guests.

Unlike previous LG swearing-in ceremonies, which usually witness a limited gathering of dignitaries and media personnel, this event saw a much larger crowd. A significant number of Sandhu’s relatives, friends, and well-wishers were present to congratulate him. The ceremony also drew prominent leaders, diplomats, and senior bureaucrats.

Among those present were the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, Harsh Malhotra, Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta, along with Delhi ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh, Kapil Mishra, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and Ashish Sood. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma were also present at the ceremony.

The Diplomatic Corps was present at the ceremony in large numbers. Those present included the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, and the High Commissioner of Australia to India, Philip Green.

Soon after taking the oath, Sandhu said Delhi faces many challenges but stressed that these challenges should be converted into opportunities. He said the development of the national capital requires collective effort from all stakeholders. “Delhi has many stakeholders. We all must work together for its development,” he said. Sandhu also noted his long personal association with the city, saying Delhi has been his place of education and work in earlier years.

The new Lieutenant Governor stated that the development of the capital is a key national priority and added that he would work towards achieving that goal. Referring to the rapid growth of the city’s population and infrastructure needs, he said challenges will continue to arise, but effective governance can turn them into opportunities for progress.

Born on January 23, 1963, Sandhu is a career diplomat who joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988. He studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, followed by St Stephen’s College in Delhi, and later Jawaharlal Nehru University. Throughout his diplomatic career, he represented India in several key international roles. Sandhu comes from a family with a strong academic and social background in Punjab. He is the grandson of Teja Singh Samundri, a Sikh reformer who was among the founders of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta welcomed Sandhu and expressed confidence that Delhi would progress with his cooperation and support. She said coordination between the elected government and the Lieutenant Governor’s office will help accelerate development initiatives in the city.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta also congratulated Sandhu on assuming office. He said the new LG’s vast diplomatic experience and dedication to public service would contribute significantly to governance and development in the capital. The Speaker expressed hope that Sandhu’s tenure would be distinguished and productive while serving the people of Delhi.

Following his appointment, Sandhu also expressed gratitude to Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, for giving him the opportunity to serve as Lieutenant Governor. He also thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his guidance and support. Sandhu later met Amit Shah and discussed issues related to governance and public service.

Sandhu’s appointment is seen as notable because he is only the second former diplomat to become the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. Earlier, Romesh Bhandari had served in the role after a diplomatic career in the late 1980s. Observers say the appointment signals a shift in approach by bringing diplomatic experience and global exposure to the administrative leadership of the national capital. Sandhu’s experience in international engagement and governance is expected to play a role in shaping Delhi’s development and administrative priorities in the coming years.