Jagmohan Malhotra Biography: Former Union Minister and Jammu & Kashmir Governor passed away at 94

Former Union Minister and Jammu and Kashmir Governor Jagmohan Malhotra passed away after a brief illness in Delhi on 3 May 2021 at the age of 94. Many dignitaries including Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted condolence messages. 

Prime Minister Modi while expressing grief on his demise tweeted, "Jagmohan Ji's demise is a monumental loss for our nation. He was an exemplary administrator and a renowned scholar. He always worked towards the betterment of India. His ministerial tenure was marked by innovative policymaking. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti."

Jagmohan Ji’s demise is a monumental loss for our nation. He was an exemplary administrator and a renowned scholar. He always worked towards the betterment of India. His ministerial tenure was marked by innovative policy making. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 4, 2021

Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted a picture with Jagmohan Malhotra and wrote, "Shri Jagmohan Ji will always be remembered for his remarkable tenure as the Governor of J&K. An able administrator and later a devoted politician who took key decisions for the nation's peace & progress. India mourns his sad demise. My deepest condolences to his family. Om Shanti."

Shri Jagmohan Ji will always be remembered for his remarkable tenure as the Governor of J&K. An able administrator and later a devoted politician who took key decisions for the nation’s peace & progress. India mourns his sad demise. My deepest condolences to his family. Om Shanti pic.twitter.com/aemBwkY3VN

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 4, 2021

Jagmohan Malhotra, popularly known by the mononym 'Jagmohan' was born on 25 September 1927 in Hafizabad (present-day Pakistan) to Amir Chand and Dropadi Devi. He was a former Indian civil servant and politician belonging to Bharatiya Janata Party. He served as the Lt. Governor of Delhi and Goa and the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He also served as the Union Minister for Urban Development and Tourism after getting elected to Lok Sabha. 

Jagmohan Malhotra first gained notoriety in the mid-1970s during his stint as vice-chairman of the DDA. He was close to Sanjay Gandhi and during the emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, he was entrusted with the task of beautification of Delhi which involved the demolition of slums on a large scale. The task disproportionately affected Muslims, contributing to Indira Gandhi's massive defeat in the 1977 General Elections. 

Jagmohan Malhotra: Positions held

During the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government in 1998, Jagmohan held key positions in his cabinet including Communications, Urban Development, Tourism and Culture. 

In 1996, he contested the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat for the 11th Lok Sabha and defeated Bollywood actor Rajesh Khanna by 58,000 votes. He defeated R. K. Dhawan (Indian National Congress) twice, in 1998 and 1999, thereby making a hat-trick of winning Lok Sabha elections from the New Delhi seat.  In 2004, he lost to Ajay Maken (Indian National Congress) by 12,784 votes. During 1990-1996, he served as a nominated MP in the Rajya Sabha. 

Jagmohan Malhotra: Awards and Honours

1- He was awarded Padma Shri by the then President of India on 26 January 1971 for the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Master Plan and for playing a pioneering role in the planning and implementation of projects in Delhi. 

2- He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1977 for his meritorious services to the country. 

3- In 2016, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan. 

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