Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, veteran politician and former Union Minister, will be sworn in as the Governor of Goa on July 26. The oath-taking ceremony will be held at Raj Bhavan in Panaji in the presence of top state officials and invited dignitaries.
Raju has been appointed to succeed P S Sreedharan Pillai, who has held the post since July 2021. The official announcement was made by the President of India, with the appointment coming into effect from the day Raju assumes office.
A senior leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and a prominent political figure from Andhra Pradesh, Raju brings with him a wealth of administrative and political experience. He previously served as the Union Minister for Civil Aviation between 2014 and 2018 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first term in office.
During his stint in the Civil Aviation Ministry, Raju played a crucial role in launching the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, aimed at boosting regional air connectivity. He also oversaw the development of smaller airports such as those at Rajamahendravaram and Kadapa, and introduced India’s first no-fly list to deal with unruly air passengers.
Raju’s appointment as Goa’s new Governor signals a continuation of experienced leadership in the state’s constitutional office.
