Jagdeep Dhankhar, a politician and lawyer, has resigned from the post of Vice President of India, citing health concerns. He served as the 14th Vice President of India from 2022 until his resignation on July 21, 2025. Prior to this, he served as the Governor of West Bengal from 2019 to 2022. His journey to the second-highest constitutional office in India is marked by his interactions with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and his long-standing career in law and politics.
Born on May 18, 1951, in Kithana, a village in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, Dhankhar comes from a Hindu Jat family with agricultural roots. The BJP often referred to him as a "Kisan Putra" (farmer's son) during his vice-presidential nomination. He completed his schooling at Sainik School, Chittorgarh, and went on to earn a B.Sc and an LLB from the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. He began his legal practice in 1979 and was designated a Senior Advocate by the High Court of Judicature for Rajasthan in 1990. Dhankhar practiced primarily in constitutional law in the Supreme Court of India since 1990. He has appeared in various high courts of India and has also served as the president of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association.
Dhankhar's political career began with the Janata Dal, and he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Jhunjhunu in 1989. He briefly served as a Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs under Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar. In 1991, he joined the Indian National Congress and was later elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Kishangarh, Rajasthan, serving from 1993 to 1998. After a hiatus, he joined the BJP in 2008.
His appointment as the Governor of West Bengal in 2019 marked a re-emergence in the political arena. During his tenure as governor, Dhankhar often clashed with the state's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee. Their relationship was characterized by disagreements over various issues, ranging from the law and order situation in the state to post-poll violence and corruption charges. Dhankhar's active use of Twitter to voice his opinions often put him at odds with the West Bengal government. Despite the public disagreements, Dhankhar maintained that he shared a "brother-sister" relationship with Banerjee. However, the tensions were evident, with Banerjee even blocking Dhankhar on social media.
In July 2022, the BJP nominated Dhankhar as the National Democratic Alliance's candidate for Vice President of India. He contested against Margaret Alva, a former Union Minister and Governor from the Indian National Congress. On August 6, 2022, Dhankhar was elected as the 14th Vice President of India.
Dhankhar's legal background and parliamentary experience were expected to be valuable assets in his role as the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. However, he has resigned from his post on July 21, 2025, citing health reasons. His resignation triggers the need for a vice-presidential by-election and marks a significant shift in the country's top constitutional offices.
