Created by Uikghh
Last edited June 8, 2026


Template:Infobox official post The governor of Kerala is the constitutional head of state of the southern Indian state of Kerala. The governor is appointed by the president of India, and holds office at the president's pleasure. The governor is de jure head of the government of Kerala; all its executive actions are taken in the governor's name. The elected council of ministers is headed by the chief minister of Kerala, who thus holds de facto executive authority in the state. The Constitution of India also empowers the governor to act upon their own discretion, such as the ability to appoint or dismiss a ministry, recommend President's rule, or reserve bills for the president's assent.[1]

Since 2 January 2025, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, is the 28th governor of Kerala.

List

Legend
Color key
Template:Abbr Portrait Name
(bornTemplate:Spaced ndashdied)
Home state Tenure in office Appointer
(President)
From To Time in office
1 File:P. S. Rao (cropped).jpg P. S. Rao
(Acting)
Andhra Pradesh Template:Small
1956
Template:Small
1956
Template:Ayd Rajendra Prasad
2 File:Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, 1952 (cropped).jpg Burgula Ramakrishna Rao
Template:Small
Andhra Pradesh Template:Small
1956
Template:Small
1960Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd
3 File:President V. V. Giri.jpg V. V. Giri
Template:Small
Madras Presidency Template:Small
1960
Template:Small
1965Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd
4 File:Ajit Prasad Jain Lok Sabha portrait.gif Ajit Prasad Jain
Template:Small
Uttar Pradesh Template:Small
1965
Template:Small
1966Template:Ref label
Template:Ayd Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
5 File:Bhagwan Sahay.jpg Bhagwan Sahay
Template:Small
Uttar Pradesh Template:Small
1966
Template:Small
1967Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd
6 File:V. Viswanathan.jpg V. Viswanathan
Template:Small
Kerala Template:Small
1967
Template:Small
1973
Template:Ayd Zakir Husain
6 File:N. N. Wanchoo.jpg N. N. Wanchoo
Template:Small
Madhya Pradesh Template:Small
1973
Template:Small
1977Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd V. V. Giri
7 File:Jothi Venkatachalam.jpg Jothi Venkatachalam
Template:Small
Tamil Nadu Template:Small
1977
Template:Small
1982
Template:Ayd Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
8 File:P. Ramachandran.jpg P. Ramachandran
Template:Small
Tamil Nadu Template:Small
1982
Template:Small
1988
Template:Ayd Zail Singh
9 File:Ram Dulari Sinha official portrait.gif Ram Dulari Sinha
Template:Small
Bihar Template:Small
1988
Template:Small
1990Template:Ref label
Template:Ayd Ramaswamy Venkataraman
10 File:Sarup Singh Rajya Sabha photo.jpg Sarup Singh
Template:Small
Haryana Template:Small
1990
Template:Small
1990Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd
11 File:B. Rachaiah Lok Sabha photo.jpg B. Rachaiah
Template:Small
Karnataka Template:Small
1990
Template:Small
1995
Template:Ayd
12 File:Gopala Ramanujam.jpg Gopala Ramanujam
Template:Small
(Acting)
Tamil Nadu Template:Small
1995
Template:Small
1995
Template:Ayd Shankar Dayal Sharma
13 File:B. Rachaiah Lok Sabha photo.jpg B. Rachaiah
Template:Small
Karnataka Template:Small
1995
Template:Small
1995
Template:Ayd
14 File:P. Shiv Shankar (cropped).jpg P. Shiv Shankar
Template:Small
Andhra Pradesh Template:Small
1995
Template:Small
1996Template:Ref label
Template:Ayd
15 File:Khurshed Alam Khan (cropped).jpg Khurshed Alam Khan
Template:Small
(Additional Charge)
Uttar Pradesh Template:Small
1996
Template:Small
1997
Template:Ayd
16 File:Justice Sukhdev Singh Kang.jpg Template:Small
Sukhdev Singh Kang
Template:Small
Punjab Template:Small
1997
Template:Small
2002
Template:Ayd
17 File:Sikander Bakht Lok Sabha photo.jpg Sikander Bakht
Template:Small
National Capital Territory of Delhi Template:Small
2002
Template:Small
2004Template:Ref label
Template:Ayd K. R. Narayanan
18 File:T. N. Chaturvedi.jpg T. N. Chaturvedi
Template:Small
(Additional Charge)
Uttar Pradesh Template:Small
2004
Template:Small
2004
Template:Ayd A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
19 File:R. L. Bhatia.jpg R. L. Bhatia
Template:Small
Punjab Template:Small
2004
Template:Small
2008Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd
20 File:R. S. Gavai.jpg R. S. Gavai
Template:Small
Maharashtra Template:Small
2008
Template:Small
2011
Template:Ayd Pratibha Patil
21 File:M. O. H. Farook.jpg M. O. H. Farook
Template:Small
Puducherry Template:Small
2011
Template:Small
2012Template:Ref label
Template:Ayd
22 File:Hans Raj Bhardwaj.png H. R. Bhardwaj
Template:Small
(Additional Charge)
Punjab Template:Small
2012
Template:Small
2013
Template:Ayd
23 File:Nikhil Kumar Nagaland Governor (cropped).jpg Nikhil Kumar
Template:Small
Bihar Template:Small
2013
Template:Small
2014Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd Pranab Mukherjee
24 File:Sheila Dikshit Ji.jpg Sheila Dikshit
Template:Small
National Capital Territory of Delhi Template:Small
2014
Template:Small
2014Template:Ref label
Template:Ayd
25 File:Justice P. Sathasivam.jpg Template:Small
P. Sathasivam
Template:Small
Tamil Nadu Template:Small
2014
Template:Small
2019
Template:Ayd
26 File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg Arif Mohammad Khan
Template:Small
Uttar Pradesh Template:Small
2019
Template:Small
2025Template:Ref labelTemplate:Efn-lg
Template:Ayd Ram Nath Kovind
27 File:Rajendra Arlekar.jpg Rajendra Arlekar
Template:Small
Goa Template:Small
2025
Incumbent Template:Ayd Droupadi Murmu
  1. Durga Das Basu. Introduction to the Constitution of India. 1960. 20th edition, 2011 reprint. LexisNexis Butterworths Wadhwa Nagpur. Template:ISBN. p. 237, 241–44. Note: although the text talks about Indian state governments in general, it applies for the specific case of Kerala as well.

See also

Oath

“I, A. B., do swear in the name of God/solemly affirm that I will faithfully execute the office of Governor (or discharge the functions of the Governor) of .............(name of the State) and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law and that I will devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of ..………(name of the State).”

References

Template:Governors and Lt Governors of Indian States Template:Kerala topics