Jagdeep Dhankhar

Some Lesser Known Facts About Jagdeep Dhankhar

• Jagdeep Dhankhar is a former BJP politician and lawyer. He is known for being the 28th Governor of West Bengal. In July 2022, he made headlines after being chosen as a Vice-President electoral candidate by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and in August 2022 he assumed the office of the Vice President of India.

• After completing his B.Sc LLB in 1979, Jagdeep Dhankhar began practising law as an advocate in Rajasthan.

• On 10 November 1979, Jagdeep Dhankhar was enrolled as an advocate in the Bar Council of Rajasthan.

• In 1987, Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed as the President of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association. With the appointment, he became the youngest President of the Bar association of Rajasthan.

• In 1988, Jagdeep Dhankhar began his political career by joining the Janata Dal (JD).

• In the same year, Jagdeep Dhankhar contested the 9th Lok Sabha elections from the Janata Dal, and he was elected as a member of parliament from the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan. He remained an MP till the end of 1991.

• On 27 March 1990, Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed as a senior advocate in the Rajasthan High Court. He remained at the post till 2019.

• On 21 April 1990, Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed as a Union Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Affairs; he held the ministry till the end of 1990.

• From January 1990 to May 1990, Jagdeep Dhankhar served as the chairman of several parliamentary committees such as the Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House, General Purposes Committee, and Committee of Privileges.

• In 1990, Jagdeep Dhankhar began practising law in the Supreme Court, where he focused mainly on the litigation pertaining to Steel, Coal, Mine, and International Commercial Arbitration. He has fought cases in several high courts across India.

• In 1991, Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as a member of parliament and joined the Indian National Congress.

• In 1993, Jagdeep Dhankhar contested the 10th Legislative Assembly elections in Rajasthan, and he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Kishangarh constituency in Rajasthan. He remained an MLA of the INC until the end of 1998.

• In 2003, he joined the BJP, and in 2008, he became a member of the BJP’s assembly election campaign committee.

• In 2015, Jagdeep Dhankhar supported the agitation regarding the granting of the OBC status and its quota to the Jat community of Rajasthan. ^[15]NDTV

• In 2016, he was appointed as a national convener of the BJP’s law and legal affairs department.

• On 20 July 2019, Jagdeep Dhankhar was appointed as the 28th Governor of West Bengal.

  

• Following his appointment as a governor, in 2019, Jagdeep Dhankhar was made the chairman of the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC).

• In July 2022, Jagdeep Dhankhar participated in the India Today Conclave in which he talked about the worrisome state of affairs regarding governance, constitutional violations by different state governments, communal patronage, and the prevalence of extortion mafias in the state.

  

• On 18 July 2022, Jagdeep Dhankhar was selected by the National Democratic Alliance as its Vice-Presidential candidate. On 11 August 2022, he took the oath as the 14th Vice-President of India.

  

• Jagdeep Dhankhar is a hodophile (one who likes to travel a lot). He, along with his family, has travelled to several countries like the United States, Canada, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

• In an interview, Jagdeep Dhankhar once claimed that when he was in class 6th, he used to travel 5 to 6 kilometres every day.

• Apart from partaking in several political activities, Jagdeep Dhankhar has participated in various social service activities with the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS).

• As the president of the Rajasthan Olympic Association and the Rajasthan Tennis Association, Jagdeep Dhankhar has played a vital role in promoting sports in Rajasthan.

• After his nomination for the Vice-Presidential elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) projected Jagdeep Dhankhar as “Kisan Putra” (son of a farmer). ^[16]The Indian Express

• Aiming at Jagdeep Dhankhar’s nomination, Saugata Ray, an MP from TMC, stated in an interview that the governor was selected as a candidate for the post of Vice President because he had made it difficult for the West Bengal’s state government to function. He further said that the Governor functioned as a mouthpiece of the BJP, and his nomination was a relief for the state. He said,
  

  Jagdeep Dhakhar was a constant trouble and disturbing element to the West Bengal government. Dhankhar’s nomination as vice-president is a reward for making the Bengal government’s life miserable. We are relieved that he has been nominated as vice president. Dhankhar has worked as a BJP spokesperson. His performance has been excellent as a BJP spokesperson and thus he has received the award.” ^[17]The Economic Times

• He left the post of Vice President in July 2025, citing health issues.