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La. Ganesan
Official portrait, 2023
19th Governor of Nagaland
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 February 2023
Chief Minister	Neiphiu Rio
Preceded by	Jagdish Mukhi (additional charge)
17th Governor of Manipur
In office 27 August 2021 – 19 February 2023
Chief Minister	N. Biren Singh
Preceded by	Ganga Prasad (additional charge)
Succeeded by	Anusuiya Uikey
Governor of West Bengal
Additional Charge
In office 18 July 2022 – 17 November 2022
Chief Minister	Mamata Banerjee
Preceded by	Jagdeep Dhankhar
Succeeded by	C. V. Ananda Bose
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office 6 October 2016 – 2 April 2018
Leader of the House	Arun Jaitley
Preceded by	Najma Heptullah
Succeeded by	Kailash Soni
Constituency	Madhya Pradesh
Personal details
Born	(1945-02-16) 16 February 1945 (age 79) Thanjavur, Madras Presidency, British India (present-day Tamil Nadu, India)
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party
Residence(s)	Raj Bhavan, Kohima, Nagaland, India
Education	S.S.L.C.
Profession	Politician

La Ganesan Iyer (born 16 February 1945) is an Indian politician who serves as the 19th Governor of Nagaland since 20 February 2023. His previous tenures include as the 17th Governor of Manipur between 27 August 2021 and 19 February 2023, the Governor of West Bengal (Additional Charge) between 18 July 2022 and 17 November 2022. Before that, he was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. Ganesan is a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a veteran of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Early life

Ganesan was born on 16 February 1945 to Ilakumirakavan and Alamelu in a Tamil Brahmin family. He grew up with his brother after his father died at a young age. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), left his job without getting married, and returned to public life as a full-time activist.

Political career

Before being appointed General Secretary of the TN BJP unit, he was a pracharak in RSS. He escaped the police during the Indira Gandhi government's oppressive Emergency, where many civil and political opponents to the Congress government were detained, and lived in hiding for about a year. He then served as the National Secretary and as the Vice President of BJP. He was selected as the President of BJP's Tamil Nadu state unit.

He is a former Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha and replaced the former union minister Najma Heptulla as a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.

Speech about sacrificing Tamil Nadu

Ganesan's comments on protests started by locals against extraction of hydrocarbons at Neduvasal village in Tamil Nadu became controversial when he said, "There is nothing wrong in sacrificing a state for the welfare of the country."

Governor of Manipur

On 22 August 2021, he was appointed the 17th Governor of Manipur by President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind. He was sworn in as the 17th Governor of Manipur at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, Imphal on 27 August 2021. He was administered the oath of office by Honourable Chief Justice of Manipur High Court PV Sanjay Kumar. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, ministers, and legislators were present in the ceremony. He served in the post until 12 February 2023, after which Anusuiya Uikey was appointed.

Attack on Kirubanidhi

Kirubanidhi, the first Dalit president of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, along with La. Ganesan, went to Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to participate in the BJP national council's meeting in 2003. After the meeting, La. Ganesan started verbally abusing Kirubanidhi by criticizing Kirubanidhi's caste. In an interview, Kirubanidhi said the fight was over the misuse of funds by La. Ganesan that he had pointed out.

Additional charge as Governor of West Bengal

On 18 July 2022, Ganesan assumed the office of Governor of West Bengal, after Jagdeep Dhankhar was nominated as vice-presidential candidate by the National Democratic Alliance coalition.

Ganesan received backlash for pushing Indian footballer Sunil Chhetri out of a photo op during the presentation ceremony of 2022 Durand Cup.

Governor of Nagaland

On 20 February 2023, he was appointed the 19th Governor of Nagaland by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.

References

1. "La. Ganesan sworn-in as Nagaland Governor". 20 February 2023. Archived from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
2. "BJP Leader La Ganesan Appointed as New Governor of Punjab". TheQuint. 22 August 2021..
3. "தலைவர் 11 தகவல்கள்: இல.கணேசன்". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 12 October 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
4. "கவர்னராகிறார் இல.கணேசன்; முழு வாழ்க்கை வரலாறு". Dinamalar (in Tamil). 22 August 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
5. "Munde lobbies for Mahajan's post, but RSS has other plans". The Indian Express. 13 May 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
6. ^ சுதா, ஐஷ்வர்யா (22 August 2021). "தஞ்சாவூர் கணேசன் மணிப்பூர் ஆளுநரான கதை!". tamil.abplive.com. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
7. "By elevating Ganesan, BJP hopes to strengthen State unit". The Indian Express. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
8. "Rajya Sabha: BJP's iLa Ganesan elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal News - Times of India". The Times of India. 6 October 2016.
9. "ஹைட்ரோ கார்பன் திட்டம் குறித்து பொன்.ராதாகிருஷ்ணன், இல.கணேசன் கருத்து". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). 26 February 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
10. "La Ganesan, ex-RSS pracharak and Tamil Nadu BJP chief, made Manipur governor". Hindustan Times. 22 August 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
11. "Senior BJP leader La. Ganesan appointed as new governor of Manipur". outlookindia.com. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
12. Vignessh (13 March 2020). "Will BJP's Murugan experiment go the Kirubanidhi way?". The Federal. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
13. Bureau, The Hindu (18 July 2022). "La. Ganesan takes oath as West Bengal governor". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 November 2022. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
14. "WB governor slammed for 'pushing' Sunil Chhetri during presentation ceremony | Football News". The Times of India. PTI. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.

• Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Tamil Nadu
• Living people
• National Democratic Alliance candidates in the 2014 Indian general election
• Rajya Sabha members from Madhya Pradesh
• 1945 births
• Rajya Sabha members from the Bharatiya Janata Party
• People from Thanjavur
• Governors of West Bengal
• Governors of Manipur
• Governors of Nagaland