Gangtok Oct 19 (IANS) Dushyant Kumar Gautam on Monday took oath as the 21st Governor of Sikkim at a swearing-in ceremony held in Gangtok, formally assuming office as the constitutional head of the Himalayan state.
The oath of office was administered by A. Muhamed Mustaque, Chief Justice of the High Court of Sikkim, in the presence of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, cabinet ministers, Sikkim Lok Sabha member Indra Hang Subba, Darjeeling Lok Sabha member Raju Bista and legislators of the state.
Senior state government officials and other dignitaries also attended the ceremony.
Gautam was appointed Governor of Sikkim by President Droupadi Murmu on October 12. He succeeds Om Prakash Mathur, who has been appointed Governor of Keralam as part of a series of gubernatorial appointments announced by the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former national general secretary of the party, Gautam assumes the constitutional office at a time when Sikkim continues to focus on development, connectivity, tourism and the preservation of its distinctive cultural identity.
Sikkim became the 22nd state of the Indian Union on May 16, 1975, following a constitutional process that ended the monarchy under the Chogyal and established the state as an integral part of India. The state had previously functioned as a protectorate under India following the 1950 Indo-Sikkim Treaty.
Situated in the eastern Himalayas, Sikkim shares international borders with Nepal, Bhutan and China, besides its domestic boundary with West Bengal.
Its strategic location, particularly its proximity to the India-China border and the sensitive Siliguri Corridor, gives the state considerable importance in India’s national security and regional connectivity planning.
Over the decades, Sikkim has witnessed political and administrative transitions while building its profile as a tourism destination and an important centre for biodiversity conservation.
The state is also known for its Himalayan landscapes, Buddhist monasteries and Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain. As Governor, Gautam will serve as the constitutional head of Sikkim, with responsibilities defined by the Constitution of India.
–IANS
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