Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla was sworn in as the Governor of Manipur on Friday at a ceremony held in the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan. Bhalla succeeds Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who had been serving as the Governor-in-charge since July 2023.
A retired IAS officer from the 1984 batch (Assam-Meghalaya cadre), Bhalla served as India’s Home Secretary for nearly five years until August 2024. Originally from Jalandhar, Punjab, his appointment comes at a critical time for Manipur, which has been grappling with ethnic violence since May 2023.
The appointment was approved by President Droupadi Murmu, with an official notification issued on December 24, 2024.
Bhalla received a warm reception upon his arrival at Imphal International Airport on Thursday, where he was greeted by a team led by Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh. At Raj Bhavan, he was welcomed by Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, Speaker Th. Satyabrata, the Chief Secretary, and other senior officials. Personnel from the Manipur Rifles and IRB gave him the Rashtriya Salute during the formal proceedings.
