The former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, has passed away at the age of 79 after battling a prolonged illness. He breathed his last on Tuesday at Delhi’s RML Hospital, where he had been under medical care for some time.
Malik’s name will forever be etched in the modern political history of India. He served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir during one of the most transformative and controversial chapters in the region’s history. On August 5, 2019, under his governorship, the Union Government made the landmark decision to abrogate Article 370, stripping the state of its special status, and bifurcating it into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Known for his straightforward manner and outspoken views, Satya Pal Malik often found himself at the center of national conversations. His tenure as Governor was marked not just by political decisions, but by the strong reactions and deep emotions they evoked across the country—especially in Kashmir.
Today, as the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the nation reflect on his passing, reactions are mixed—some mourning the end of a significant public life, others remembering the complexities that defined his time in office.
His death comes on the same date that will forever be linked with one of the most defining decisions in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape. Whether seen as a reformer, a controversial figure, or a bold administrator, Satya Pal Malik leaves behind a legacy that cannot be ignored.
