Nagaland Governor La Ganesan’s biography, timeline of his political career and more

DIMAPUR — Nagaland Governor La. Ganesan died in Chennai on Friday, a week after he was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai following a head injury sustained from a fall at his residence on August 8. He was 80.

He became the 21st Governor of Nagaland on February 20, 2023 and was in office till his passing on August 15, India’s Independence Day.

Brief Biography of La. Ganesan

Born on February 16, 1945 in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, in a Brahmin family, Ganesan joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after quitting government job. He served in the Revenue Department as a Revenue Settlement Inspector for nine years before choosing to become a full-time RSS pracharak or activist.

Also read: BREAKING NEWS: Nagaland Governor La Ganesan passes away at 80

He chose to remain a bachelor all through his life.

The veteran RSS leader joined politics through the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served the party in various capacities -- Organising Secretary of State (Tamil Nadu) BJP, National Secretary, All India Vice President, and the party’s President of Tamil Nadu state unit.

Acknowledging the service he had rendered, he was nominated to Rajya Sabha from Bhopal constituency and served as Member of Parliament for one-and-a-half years.

He was also the editor of the Tamil BJP mouthpiece “Ore Naadu” and founded “Pottramarai”, an association that supports Tamil scholars around the world.

Timeline of La. Ganesan’s political career

-          In 2016, more than two years after the BJP came to power at the centre, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Bhopal constituency in Madhya Pradesh. He served as Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from October 2016 to April 2, 2018.

-          Governor of Manipur from August 2021 to February 2023.

-          Governor of West Bengal (Additional Charge) from July 18, 2022 to November 17, 2022.

-          Governor of Nagaland from February 20, 2023 until his death on August 15, 2025.