Banwarilal Purohit sworn in as governor of Assam

Purohit succeeded Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya, who was governor in-charge of Assam

Banwarilal Purohit on Monday was sworn in as the governor of Assam.

Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh administered the oath of office and secracy to Purohit at the Raj Bhavan here.

Purohit succeeded Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya, Governor of Nagaland who was governor in-charge of Assam.

The oath of office was administered at the Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan and the function was attended by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and some of his cabinet colleagues.

An public personality inseparably involved in social, political, educational and industrial fields of Vidarbha in Maharashtra, Purohit had plunged into active politics in 1977.

He had won election to Maharashtra Assembly for the first time in 1978 from Nagpur east seat, was re-elected in 1980 from Nagpur south and became a minister in 1982.

In 1984 and 1989, Purohit was elected to the Lok Sabha from Nagpur-Kamptee seat and was a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Defence Ministry.

He was re-elected from the Lok Sabha seat in 1996 and served as a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Home Affairs, Member of Standing Committee on Defence and Member of Public Sector Undertaking Committee.

Purohit is also credited with revival of 'The Hitavada', an English daily founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, the mentor of Mahatma Gandhi.

Under him 'The Hitavada' became a leading newspaper of central India and apart from its headquarters edition at Nagpur the daily also launched editions from Jabalpur, Raipur, and Bhopal.