Shiv Pratap Shukla Sworn in as Telangana’s Fifth Governor, Takes Oath in Telugu

Veteran politician Shiv Pratap Shukla was sworn in as the fifth Governor of Telangana on Wednesday during a formal ceremony held at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad . The oath of office was administered by Telangana High Court Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh , with several dignitaries in attendance. In a gesture that drew appreciation from those present, the Uttar Pradesh-born leader took the oath in Telugu , highlighting his respect for the state’s language and culture. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy , members of the state cabinet , senior bureaucrats and political leaders. Shukla arrived in the city a day earlier and was welcomed by the Chief Minister and government officials before formally assuming charge, succeeding Jishnu Dev Varma .

With Shukla taking charge as Governor , attention has turned to the role the constitutional office will play in the coming months, especially with the Telangana Assembly preparing for its Budget Session . As Governor, Shukla is expected to address a joint sitting of the Legislature , a key constitutional responsibility that marks the beginning of the budget proceedings. Political observers believe his extensive administrative and legislative experience could influence how Raj Bhavan coordinates with the Congress-led state government , particularly on legislative and governance matters.

Born in Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh , Shukla began his political journey during his student years through the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) . He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1983 and steadily rose within the party ranks. He was elected four consecutive times as a Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Gorakhpur in 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1996 , establishing himself as a prominent political leader in the state. During his political career in Uttar Pradesh, he also handled ministerial responsibilities in areas such as jails administration and rural development .

Shukla later moved to national politics and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2016 . During the Narendra Modi government , he served as Union Minister of State for Finance from 2017 to 2019 , gaining experience in national economic policy and governance. Prior to his appointment in Telangana, he served as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh from 2023 to 2026 . With more than four decades of political and administrative experience, Shukla’s tenure in Telangana will be closely watched, particularly in terms of how the Governor’s office works with the elected government and carries out its constitutional responsibilities.

Since the formation of Telangana in 2014 , the state has had several Governors who have served at Raj Bhavan . E. S. L. Narasimhan served as the first Governor of the state from 2014 to 2019 , followed by Tamilisai Soundararajan , who held the position from 2019 to 2024 . C. P. Radhakrishnan briefly held additional charge in 2024 , after which Jishnu Dev Varma served as Governor from 2024 to 2026 . With Shiv Pratap Shukla now assuming office in 2026 , he becomes the fifth Governor of Telangana since the state’s formation.