Mishra takes oath as Arunachal Pradesh Governor

Brigadier (Retd) B.D. Mishra was on Tuesday sworn in as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh by Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajit Singh at the Raj Bhavan here.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Union Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju, Assembly Speaker T.N. Thongdok, the council of ministers, members of the state assembly, Chief Secretary Shakuntala Gamlin, government, army and para-military officials were present when Mishra was administered the oath of office.

Mishra a war veteran, who served the Indian Army in three major wars in 1962, 1965 and 1971, took charge as full-fledged Governor of the state.

He took over from Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya, who was holding additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh after V. Shanmuganathan, who was then holding additional charge of the state, resigned on January 26 following charges of inappropriate behaviour against him.

Shanmuganathan's resignation came after nearly 100 employees of the Raj Bhavan in Shillong had sent a five-page letter to the Prime Minister's Office and Rashtrapati Bhavan, demanding recall of the Governor for what they alleged was "turning the Raj Bhavan into a Young Ladies Club".

The swearing-in ceremony was followed by State Guard of Honour presented by Arunachal Pradesh Police at Raj Bhavan.

Earlier, on his arrival at Itanagar, a state reception was accorded to Mishra at Raj Bhavan helipad. A Guard of Honour by Arunachal Pradesh Police was presented to the Governor-designate.

Mishra retired from the Indian Army on July 31, 1995 as Brigadier, after a 34-year career.

Mishra was the Commander of NSG (Black Cat Commandos) Counter Hijack Task Force that successfully rescued all 124 passengers and crew members of a hijacked Indian Airlines flight that was forced to land at the Raja Sansi Airfield in Amritsar in 1993.

Mishra also fought in the 1962 war against China and the 1971 war against Pakistan. He also played an instrumental role in tackling the Naga insurgency movement in 1963-1964 in Nagaland.

He fought against the militant group LTTE, as the Leading Brigade Commander of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Jaffna in 1987-88.

Mishra, who holds an MA from Allahabad University, an M.Sc from Madras University and a Ph.D from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, also taught at the College of Combat at MHOW Cantonment and at Defence Services Staff College at Wellington Cantonment.

--IANS

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