President of India on Sunday appointed Brig. (Dr) B.D. Mishra, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Union Territory.

In an official communique, the President’s Secretariat announced the appointment of BD Mishra as the new LG of Ladakh to replace RK Mathur.

The communique also said that the President has accepted the resignation of Mathur, who was appointed as the first LG in October 2019.

The appointment of a non-political Governor in Ladakh is seen as a significant move as the region is seeking statehood and constitutional safeguards under the 6th schedule of the Constitution of India.

 Mishra retired as Brigadier  after spending more than three decades in the Indian Army.

He has served in the Sino-Indian war, 1971 Liberation war, and 1965 war with Pakistan. He played a role in tackling the Naga insurgency movement in 1963-1964 in Nagaland. The Retired Brigadier also fought against the LTTE as the Leading Brigade Commander of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Jaffna, Vavunia and Trincomalee in Sri Lanka during the period of 1987-1988. After his retirement, he had also volunteered for the 1999 Kargil War.