New Delhi: Satyapal Malik, former Jammu and Kashmir governor and Rajya Sabha member, died on Tuesday. He was 79. Malik breathed his last at 1:12 pm at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi, where he was undergoing treatment for a prolonged illness since May 11.
A post shared on the official X account informed of Malik’s demise.
In a statement, the RML Hospital said Malik had been receiving intensive care and had a longstanding history of diabetic kidney disease, hypertension, and other chronic health issues, including morbid obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.
“He was admitted with us on 11-5-2025 at 12:04 pm with a complicated urinary tract infection and subsequently developed refractory septic shock secondary to urinary tract infection, hospital-acquired pneumonia and multi-organ dysfunction. Despite all appropriate and aggressive medical interventions, including multiple antibiotics and two Cytosorb sessions, including ventilatory support and critical care management, his condition continued to deteriorate,” it said.
He also developed disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and acute kidney injury due to chronic kidney disease, requiring multiple hemodialysis sessions. Shri Malik sadly passed away on 5 August 2025 at 1:12 pm, the hospital added.
A prominent Jat leader from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, Malik began his political career as a student leader and was elected an MLA in 1974 as part of Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal.
Over the years, he served in both houses of Parliament, first as a Rajya Sabha MP and later as a Lok Sabha MP from Aligarh representing the Janata Dal. His political journey saw him align with various parties, including the Congress, Lok Dal and the Samajwadi Party.
In 2017, Malik was appointed Governor of Bihar and also briefly held additional charge of Odisha. A year later, in August 2018, he was appointed Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. During his tenure, the Centre revoked the region’s special status under Article 370 and reorganised the state into two Union Territories.
He was also the governor at the time of the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. After completing his term in Jammu and Kashmir, he went on to serve as Governor of Goa and later Meghalaya.
