Former IPS officer Ravindra Narayan Ravi was sworn in as the 22nd Governor of West Bengal on Thursday at a ceremony held at Lok Bhavan.
The oath of office was administered by Sujoy Paul, Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, Left Front chairman Biman Basu, and several senior officials and political leaders.
Ravi’s appointment came after C. V. Ananda Bose resigned from the post on March 5, ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026. Following his resignation, the Centre decided that Ravi—former Governor of Tamil Nadu—would take charge of the West Bengal Raj Bhavan for the time being.
Born on April 3, 1952, Ravi is a 1976-batch Indian Police Service officer from the Kerala cadre. Over a long administrative career, he has held several key positions, including serving as the Deputy National Security Advisor of India. He also played a significant role in the government’s negotiations during the Naga peace talks between 2014 and 2022. Before becoming the Governor of Tamil Nadu in 2021, Ravi served as the Governor of Nagaland from 2019 to 2021 and also held additional charge as the Governor of Meghalaya between 2019 and 2020.
The appointment, however, triggered political reactions in West Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier criticised the Centre for appointing the new Governor without consulting the state government. She had also taken a swipe at Ravi, describing him as a “BJP cadre” and remarking that “Bengal is a different place.”
Despite the criticism, Mamata attended the swearing-in ceremony as per protocol. According to sources, during her first interaction with the new Governor after the ceremony, she remarked that “Bengal also loves those who love Bengal.”
Political observers note that Ravi’s earlier tenures as Governor in states such as Nagaland and Tamil Nadu saw frequent disagreements with state governments. His interactions with the government led by M. K. Stalin had also drawn attention in the past.
With Ravi now assuming charge, political circles are closely watching how relations between the Raj Bhavan and the state government will evolve in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections.
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