With the sudden news of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ending its three-year-long alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, 19 June, the role of Narinder Nath Vohra is about to become crucial in the state.
Vohra, the 12th Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, assumed leadership of the hot seat back in 2008 and once more in 2013. Before this, he had occupied a multitude of administerial positions, both within and outside of the Indian government on the basis of which the BJP, post its decision to pull out from the alliance, is rallying for Governor’s rule in the state.
While the outcome of the BJP’s move, as well as the future of J&K’s governance hangs in the balance, here’s a look at the illustrious life of the 82-year-old, whose second term is expected to end on 28 June.
Life as an IAS Officer
Vohra received a Masters degree in English from Punjab University and topped the University in 1957. Following this, he was asked to remain at the Institution as a lecturer, a role he fulfilled till 1959. Later, he was appointed as a visiting fellow at Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford.
Soon after this, he joined the IAS with Punjab as his cadre, and continued to serve till 1994. As an IAS officer, he occupied several posts, which, The Hindu reports, included the position of Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1977. A few years later, he took over the role of Additional Secretary Defense in 1985.
In 1993, he was appointed Union Home Secretary by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). He began his role as Home Secretary on 1 April 1993 and served till 31 May 1994.
Around this time, which was also when the country was reeling from the shock of the 1993 Mumbai blasts, Vohra authored a highly explosive report called the “NN Vohra Committee Report”, which was based on the criminalisation of politics and the many criminal networks rampant in the country.
Vohra had been inducted into the special services bureau under the CBI and had also received training under the SAS from UK. In the late 80s, he was appointed Home Secretary of Punjab and in 1985, Vohra ensured the process of peaceful elections for the State Assembly, even the political situation was highly tense in the state following Operation Blue Star.
Life After Retirement
Post his retirement from the IAS, Vohra was appointed as the Principal Secretary to the then Prime Minister of India, Inder Kumar Gujral in July 1997. He also took control as the administrative head of Prime Minister's Office.
In 2000, he was appointed as the Chairman of the national task force on internal security, and a year later, as the Chairman of the Review of Institute of Defense studies and Analysis. He was also the founder Co-chairman of the Indo-European union Round Table.
Appointment as J&K Governor
Following these posts, and after building up his political reputation across the country, Vohra served as the Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor between 2003 and 2008, carrying out negotiations between the separatists and elected politicians.
In 2008, Vohra assumed the post of Jammu and Kashmir Governor, and according to a The Times of India report, his first order of business was to withdraw the highly controversial Amarnath shrine land transfer order, which had led to several protests across the state.
In 2013, on the completion of his first term, he was re-appointed as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir by the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, in 2013.
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