Part of: Uttarakhand Polity Notes · See also: Uttarakhand GK
Quick answer
Uttarakhand has had nine Governors since the State came into being on 9 November 2000. Surjit Singh Barnala was the first, while Margaret Alva was the first woman Governor. Moreover, Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh is the longest-serving so far. Finally, Dr Dhal Singh Bisen is the present and 9th Governor, with oath on 19 October 2026. This Uttarakhand governor list is correct as on 29 October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
- Total Governors: 9 (as on 29 October 2026)
- First Governor: Surjit Singh Barnala (2000–2003)
- First woman Governor: Margaret Alva (2009–2012)
- Longest-serving: Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh (about 1,860 days, 2021–2026)
- Shortest tenure: Banwari Lal Joshi (about 1 year 9 months)
- Present Governor: Dr Dhal Singh Bisen, oath 19 October 2026
- Official residences: Lok Bhavan, Dehradun and Lok Bhavan, Nainital (renamed 1 December 2025)
Uttarakhand governor list (2000–2026)
First, the table below gives every Governor in order. Also, note the short gap in September 2021 between two Governors.
| No. | Governor | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surjit Singh Barnala | 9 Nov 2000 – 7 Jan 2003 |
| 2 | Sudarshan Agarwal | 8 Jan 2003 – 28 Oct 2007 |
| 3 | Banwari Lal Joshi | 29 Oct 2007 – 5 Aug 2009 |
| 4 | Margaret Alva | 6 Aug 2009 – 14 May 2012 |
| 5 | Dr Aziz Qureshi | 15 May 2012 – 7 Jan 2015 |
| 6 | Dr Krishan Kant Paul | 8 Jan 2015 – 25 Aug 2018 |
| 7 | Baby Rani Maurya | 26 Aug 2018 – 8 Sep 2021 |
| 8 | Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh | 15 Sep 2021 – 18 Oct 2026 |
| 9 | Dr Dhal Singh Bisen | 19 Oct 2026 – present |
The President appointed Gurmit Singh on 9 September 2021. However, he took charge only on 15 September 2021. Thus, exams may quote either date, so read the options carefully.
Similarly, Dr Dhal Singh Bisen took oath on 19 October 2026 at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun. Here, Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari administered the oath. Thus, the 2026 oath shows Article 159 at work.
Firsts and records among Governors
Records from the Uttarakhand governor list appear often in UKPSC papers. Moreover, the first three Chief Ministers served under Barnala. Therefore, also check the list of Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand for the matching timeline.
| Record | Governor | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First Governor | Surjit Singh Barnala | From 9 Nov 2000 |
| First woman Governor | Margaret Alva | 2009–2012 |
| Second woman Governor | Baby Rani Maurya | 2018–2021 |
| Longest-serving | Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh | About 1,860 days |
| Shortest tenure | Banwari Lal Joshi | About 1 year 9 months |
| Present (9th) | Dr Dhal Singh Bisen | Oath 19 Oct 2026 |
How Gurmit Singh set the record
Notably, Gurmit Singh became the first Governor of the State to complete five years. Besides, in July 2026 he passed Sudarshan Agarwal’s record of about 1,754 days. As a result, his final count reached about 1,860 days.
For more such records, also see the firsts of Uttarakhand polity list.
The Governor’s key Articles
First, the Governor is the constitutional head of the State. Thus, executive action of the State Government runs in the Governor’s name. However, the real executive power lies with the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| 153 | Office of the Governor; constitutional head |
| 155, 156 | The President appoints; office during the President’s pleasure, normally five years |
| 157, 158 | Citizen, at least 35 years; not an MP or MLA; no office of profit |
| 159 | Oath before the High Court Chief Justice (or senior-most judge) |
| 161 | Pardons for offences against State laws |
| 163, 164, 167 | Ministers aid and advise; appoints CM and ministers; CM keeps Governor informed |
| 174 | Summons, prorogues and dissolves the Vidhan Sabha |
| 200 | Assent, withholds assent or reserves Bills |
| 202 | Annual budget laid before the House |
| 213 | Ordinances; lapse six weeks after the House reassembles unless approved |
In addition, the Governor draws ₹3.5 lakh a month. Moreover, the Governor gets a free official residence. Also, these emoluments cannot be reduced during the term.
Powers in brief
- Executive: appoints the CM and then, on the CM’s advice, other ministers. Also appoints the Advocate General, the State Election Commissioner and the Chairman and members of the State PSC.
- Legislative: summons and dissolves the House; also gives assent to Bills and issues Ordinances.
- Financial: Money Bills and demands for grants also need the Governor’s recommendation. Besides, the Governor controls the Contingency Fund.
- Judicial: also grants pardons under Article 161. Similarly, the Governor is consulted on High Court judges (Article 217).
- Other roles: sends reports under Article 356; besides, acts as Chancellor of State universities.
For instance, the Governor appoints the UKPSC Chairman, so read the UKPSC Chairman list next.
Lok Bhavan: the Governor’s residences
Meanwhile, a notification of 1 December 2025 renamed the Governor’s residences at Dehradun and Nainital. Thus, both are now called Lok Bhavan instead of Raj Bhavan.
Lok Bhavan Nainital (old Government House)
- Foundation stone: 27 April 1897; the building took about two years.
- Style: Gothic, like a Scottish castle.
- Architect: Stevens; executive engineer F. O. W. Ortel.
- Estate: about 160 acres; the golf course came in 1936.
However, this building is not the High Court. Instead, the High Court of Uttarakhand sits in the old Secretariat building at Mallital, built in 1900.
Exam corner: common traps
- Appointed vs took charge: Gurmit Singh was appointed on 9 September 2021 but took charge on 15 September 2021.
- Fake names: “Suresh Agarwal” never served; the second Governor was Sudarshan Agarwal.
- Women Governors: only two so far, Margaret Alva and then Baby Rani Maurya.
- Lok Bhavan Nainital is not the High Court: the High Court sits in the old Secretariat at Mallital.
- Oath: the High Court Chief Justice administers it, not the President. However, in October 2026 the Acting Chief Justice did so.
What UKPSC has asked
- Who was the first Governor of Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal)? Surjit Singh Barnala (UKPSC AFO (Pre), 2012)
- Who among the following was the lady Governor of Uttarakhand? Margaret Alva (UKPSC (Pre), 2016)
- Who was not a Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya, Margaret Alva, K. K. Paul or Suresh Agarwal? Suresh Agarwal (UKPSC Draftsman Exam, 2023)
- Which Governor–tenure pair is correctly matched? Only K. K. Paul – 08-01-2015 to 25-08-2018 (UKPSC High Court ARO Screening, 2026)
- In which year was the Raj Bhavan established in Nainital? 1897 (UKPSC Lower PCS (Pre), 2021)
- Under which Article can the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly be dissolved? Article 174 (UKPSC RO/ARO, Advocate General Office (Pre), 2025)
Revise in one page
Nine Governors since 9 November 2000. First: Surjit Singh Barnala (2000–03). Next: Sudarshan Agarwal (2003–07) and Banwari Lal Joshi (2007–09, shortest). Then Margaret Alva (2009–12, first woman) and Dr Aziz Qureshi (2012–15). Later, Dr K. K. Paul (2015–18) and Baby Rani Maurya (2018–21, second woman). Gurmit Singh (2021–2026) is the longest-serving, at about 1,860 days. Also, he was the first to complete five years. Dr Dhal Singh Bisen, 9th Governor, took oath on 19 October 2026. Key Articles: 153, 155–159, 161, 163–164, 174, 200, 213. Raj Bhavans renamed Lok Bhavan on 1 December 2025. Nainital Lok Bhavan: foundation 27 April 1897.
In the news
- Dhal Singh Bisen sworn in as the 9th Governor — the newest entry in the list, with oath details.
- Gurmit Singh becomes the longest-serving Governor — how the tenure record changed in 2026.
Practise Uttarakhand Polity
- Daily 25 free practice questions — UKPSC previous-year questions, every morning.
- UKPSC previous year papers — bilingual PDFs of Upper PCS, Lower PCS, RO/ARO and more.
- UKPSC 2026 Prelims Test Series — full-length tests with detailed solutions.
Preparing for UKPSC Upper PCS, Lower PCS or RO/ARO? Join SAMVEG IAS, Dehradun. For batch details, call or WhatsApp +91 84759 04943.
Uttarakhand Polity Notes series
- All topics: Uttarakhand Polity Notes
- Next: List of Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand (2000–2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Dr Dhal Singh Bisen is the present Governor of Uttarakhand, as on 29 October 2026. He is the 9th Governor and took oath on 19 October 2026 at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun.
Surjit Singh Barnala was the first Governor of Uttarakhand. He served from 9 November 2000 to 7 January 2003.
Margaret Alva was the first woman Governor of Uttarakhand, from 6 August 2009 to 14 May 2012. Baby Rani Maurya was the second woman Governor.
Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh is the longest-serving Governor, with about 1,860 days from 2021 to 2026. He was also the first Governor of the State to complete five years.
Surjit Singh Barnala Uttarakhand ke pehle Rajyapal the. Unka karyakal 9 November 2000 se 7 January 2003 tak raha.
A notification of 1 December 2025 renamed the residences of the Governor at Dehradun and Nainital as Lok Bhavan.
Facts as on 29 October 2026. Sources: Lok Bhavan (Raj Bhavan) Uttarakhand, High Court of Uttarakhand, Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha, Election Commission of India, State departments, India Code and PIB.