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Jagdeep Dhankhar (Hindi pronunciation: [d͡ʒəgˈd̪iːp d̪ʱən.kʰəɽ]; born 18 May 1951) is an Indian politician and lawyer serving as the 14th and current vice president of India since 2022. He previously served as the Governor of West Bengal from 2019 to 2022. He also served as a Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in the Chandra Shekhar ministry from 1990 to 1991, and served as a member of Lok Sabha from 1989 to 1991. Between 1993 and 1998, he was a Member of Rajasthan's Legislative Assembly. He has been affiliated with multiple political parties in India, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress and Janata Dal.
Jagdeep Dhankhar | |
|---|---|
_crop.jpg) Official portrait | |
| 14th Vice President of India | |
| Assumed office 11 August 2022 | |
| President | Droupadi Murmu |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | M. Venkaiah Naidu |
| 21st Governor of West Bengal | |
| In office 30 July 2019[1] – 18 July 2022[2] | |
| Chief Minister | Mamata Banerjee |
| Preceded by | Keshari Nath Tripathi |
| Succeeded by | La. Ganesan (additional charge) |
| Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office 21 November 1990 – 21 June 1991 | |
| President | R. Venkataraman |
| Prime Minister | Chandra Shekhar |
| Minister | Satya Prakash Malaviya |
| Succeeded by | R. K. Kumar |
| Member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 4 December 1993 – 29 November 1998 | |
| Governor | |
| Speaker | |
| Preceded by | Jagjeet Singh |
| Succeeded by | Nathu Ram |
| Constituency | Kishangarh[3] |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 2 December 1989 – 21 June 1991 | |
| President | R. Venkataraman |
| Speaker | Rabi Ray |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Ayub Khan |
| Succeeded by | Mohammed Ayub Khan |
| Constituency | Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 May 1951 Kithana, Rajasthan, India |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Other political affiliations | Indian National Congress (1991–2003) Janata Dal (until 1991) |
| Spouse | |
| Residence | Vice President's Enclave, New Delhi |
| Alma mater | University of Rajasthan (BA, LLB) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Website | Official Website |
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Dhankhar was born on 18 May 1951 in Kithana, a village in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, India, into a Hindu Rajasthani Jat family to Gokal Chand and Kesari Devi.[4][5] He completed his school education from Sainik School, Chittorgarh. Dhankhar completed his primary and middle school education from Kithana Government School and Ghardhana Government School respectively. He obtained his B.Sc and LLB from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.[6][7]
Dhankhar married Sudesh Dhankhar in 1979, and they have a daughter, Kamna[8] who is married to Kartikeya Vajpayee son of late Shri Vijay Shankar Vajpayee, and Smt. Abha Vajpayee.[9][10][11]
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Dhankhar enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Rajasthan in 1979. He was designated a Senior Advocate by the High Court of Judicature for Rajasthan in 1990 and remained the senior-most designated Senior Advocate in the state until taking the oath as Governor on 30 July 2019.[12]
Since 1990, Dhankhar has practised primarily in constitutional law in the Supreme Court of India. He has appeared in the various high courts of India[13] and has also served a stint as the president of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association.[14]
In 2016, Dhankhar appeared in the Sutlej River water dispute, representing the state of Haryana in the Supreme Court of India.[15]
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He has previously been a member of the Janata Dal and the Indian National Congress.[16] He represented the Jhunjhunu Lok Sabha constituency in Rajasthan as a member of the Janata Dal during the 9th Lok Sabha from 1989 to 1991.
He joined the Indian National Congress in 1991 and contested the 1991 Indian general election from the Ajmer Lok Sabha constituency, but lost.[17] He was later elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Kishangarh, Rajasthan, serving from 1993 to 1998 in the 10th Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan.[18]
He contested the 1998 Indian general election from the Jhunjhunu Lok Sabha constituency, where he finished in third place.[17]
He joined the BJP in 2003[16] and was a member of the party's campaign committee for the 2008 assembly elections. In 2016, he headed the BJP's law and legal affairs department.[17]
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On 20 July 2019, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, under the directions of the second Modi ministry, appointed him the Governor of West Bengal.[19] He was administered the oath of office on 30 July 2019 at the Raj Bhavan, Kolkata[20]
After becoming the Governor of West Bengal, Dhankhar had several public confrontations with the state government and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.[21][16] He was a vocal critic of the third Banerjee ministry,[22][23] and frequently resorted to Twitter and media to express his views on political issues. In response, the Trinamool Congress dubbed Dhankhar the "real leader of the opposition". In January 2022, CM Banerjee blocked Dhankhar on Twitter, accusing him of mentioning her daily in his tweets and engaging in unethical and abusive behaviour.[17]
On 13 July 2022, Dhankar met with the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, and the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sharma.[24] Dhankar subsequently visited Delhi on 15 July 2022, and met the Union Home Minister Amit Shah.[25] He resigned as Governor on 17 July 2022, after being nominated as the vice-presidential candidate of the National Democratic Alliance.[26]
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2022 vice-presidential election
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On 16 July 2022, the BJP nominated Dhankhar as the National Democratic Alliance's candidate for Vice President of India for the 2022 election the following month.[27] Dhankhar was projected as a kisan putra (farmer's son) by the BJP.[5] He contested against the United Opposition's candidate, Margaret Alva, a former Union Minister and Governor from the Indian National Congress. On 18 July 2022, Dhankhar filed his nomination papers for the vice-president elections. He was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other union ministers and BJP politicians.[28]
He contested against the United Opposition's candidate, Margaret Alva. The elections were conducted on 6 August 2022 and, on the same evening, the votes were counted. Dhankhar emerged victorious by securing 528 votes out of 710 valid votes over opposition candidate Margaret Alva's 182. Trinamool Congress abstained from the election with only two members voting.[29]
Dhankhar won the 2022 election with 74.37% votes and recorded a highest poll-victory margin since the 1992 election.[27][30]
Tenure
Dhankar assumed the office on 11 August 2022 succeeding Venkaiah Naidu, with the oath administered by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, in the central banquet hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.[31]
No-confidence Motion
On December 10, 2024, the opposition INDIA bloc submitted a notice to move a motion of no confidence against Dhankar.[32] They accused him of indulging in partisanship, alleging that he prevented opposition members from raising issues while allowing BJP members to table issues of their choice.[33]
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| Candidate |
Party (Coalition) | Electoral Votes |
% of Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jagdeep Dhankhar | BJP (NDA) | 528 | 74.37 | |
| Margaret Alva | INC (UO) | 182 | 25.63 | |
| Total | 710 | 100 | ||
| Valid Votes | 710 | |||
| Invalid Votes | 15 | |||
| Turnout | 725 | 92.95% | ||
| Abstentions | 55 | 7.05% | ||
| Electors | 780 | |||
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, administered the oath of Office of Vice-president of India to Jagdeep Dhankhar on 11.08.2022.
Cambodia (November 2022)
Jagdeep Dhankhar's first official foreign visit[34] as vice-president was to Cambodia in November 2022. He represented India at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and the 17th East Asia Summit, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between India and Cambodia and celebrating the 30th anniversary of India-ASEAN relations during the India-ASEAN Friendship Year.
The vice-president visited the heritage sites of Ta Prohm Temple and Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap and examined the restoration and conservation work at these cultural heritage sites, carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India. He inaugurated the Hall of Dancers at the Ta Prohm Temple.
Qatar (November 2022)
At the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, Dhankhar visited Qatar on 20-21 November 2022.[35]
United Kingdom (May 2023)
Dhankhar visited London on 05-06 May 2023[36] to attend the Coronation ceremony of H.M. King Charles III on behalf of the Government of India. Dhankhar's presence marked the second time that an Indian leader attended the coronation event in the UK, after a gap of nearly seven decades. Last time, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru represented India when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned.
Ahead of the coronation, Vice-president Dhankhar and his wife, Dr. Sudesh Dhankhar met King Charles III, the United States First Lady Jill Biden, President of Israel- Isaac Herzog, President of Italy- Sergio Mattarella, President of Brazil- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and other world leaders during a reception hosted by King Charles III at the Buckingham Palace.
Iran (May 2024)
On 22 May 2024, Vice-president Dhankhar visited the Islamic Republic of Iran[37] to attend the official ceremony to pay condolences on the demise of President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials who lost their lives in a helicopter crash on 19 May 2024.[38]
Keynote Speaker at Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue
Jagdeep Dhankhar delivered the keynote address at the 2023 edition[39] of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) organised by National Maritime Foundation (NMF) in New Delhi. While delivering the keynote address, he supported a free and peaceful rule-based Indo-Pacific region marked by collaborative security and innovative partnerships. He called for a just and effective global regulatory regime that respects the right over EEZ, for the sustainable and equitable exploitation of marine resources and sea-bed in high seas. In his address he also underlined “You cannot negotiate peace from a position of weakness; you have to be strong on all fundamentals.”[40]
Launch of INS Mahendragiri, Mumbai
On 1 September 2023, Dhankhar chistened the frigate Mahendragiri before it sailed into the waters of the Arabian Sea.[41]
Inauguration of International Maritime Seminar- MILAN 2024, Visakhapatnam
Dhankhar presided over the inauguration of International Maritime Seminar- MILAN 2024 in Visakhapatnam.[42] In his address he cautioned that unilateral actions & disregard for international law can jeopardise the security & stability of the entire region. Referring to the recent challenges to the global rule based order and supply chain disruptions, Vice-president stated that India believes in respecting the boundaries and fostering a rules based maritime order and opined that India's maritime strength will be critical to the aim of Viksit Bharat @2047. “We believe that scrupulous adherence to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), is imperative, essential and the only way for the peaceful coexistence and sustainable use of maritime resources.”[43] he further added in his address.
Dhankhar has highlighted the importance of Yoga, describing it as a significant contribution of India to the world.[44] In 2023, he led the 9th International Day of Yoga celebrations in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. of Yoga celebrations at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh in 2023.[45]
Referring to India's civilizational history and cultural heritage, Dhankhar underlined that many tourist destinations in the country have a deep connection with Indian history, folk arts and ancient texts. On the occasion of World Tourism Day, Dhankhar described India as a “heaven for tourism”[46] and asked Indians to explore domestic tourist destinations first before looking at international travel.
Dhankhar inaugurated the 23rd edition of Hornbill Festival at Kohima.[47] Praising Nagas for their unique culture and glorious history, Dhankhar said, "I salute tribal culture. I salute tribal energy…. India is a land of culture & Indians are proud of their tribal culture".[48]
At the inauguration of the 36th Surajkund International Crafts Mela at Faridabad, he urged everyone to consider locally produced handicraft items when looking for gifts to their friends and relatives.[49]
Dhankhar has advocated for increasing the use of Sanskrit in daily life. Addressing the third convocation of the National Sanskrit University in Tirupati, Dhankhar discussed Sanskrit as a vital part of cultural heritage, describing it as a "cultural anchor" for human civilization. He called for efforts to increase Sanskrit's usage in daily life and emphasised its role in preserving India's cultural heritage.[50]
Dhankhar has also expressed his desire for a balanced approach between the ancient medicinal practices of Ayurveda and Siddha and modern medical sciences.[51]
As the Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar is the ex-officio Chancellor of Panjab University, University of Delhi, Pondicherry University and Visitor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Bhopal.[52]
Key Initiatives as Chairman of Rajya Sabha
Gender Equality in Panel of Vice-Chairpersons
He reconstituted the panel of Vice-Chairpersons in the 260th session to include 17 women members of the Rajya Sabha when the Rajya Sabha discussed the Nari Shakti Vandan Vidheyak Bill, 2023.[53] This move was a significant step towards ensuring better representation of women in parliamentary proceedings. The women members nominated to the Panel of Vice-Chairpersons included:[54]
Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed the joint session of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the Central Hall of Parliament on September 19, 2023, marking the end of the Indian Parliament's use of the historic building.
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