Patna, March 12 (IANS) Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, the newly appointed Governor of Bihar, arrived in Patna on Thursday, a day ahead of his swearing-in ceremony.
According to officials, the swearing-in ceremony will take place on March 14 at Lok Bhavan.
The oath of office and secrecy will be administered by the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.
Upon his arrival, Syed Ata Hasnain was welcomed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Industry Minister Dilip Jaiswal, and other leaders of the NDA government at Patna Airport.
Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain is widely known for his distinguished career and strategic leadership in the Indian Army.
Over nearly four decades of service, he held several key positions and developed a reputation as an expert in security and strategic affairs.
Between 2012 and 2014, he served as the commander of the Chinar Corps (XV Corps) based in Srinagar, where he led major counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir and played an important role in strengthening the region’s security framework.
During his tenure in Kashmir, Hasnain emphasised the “hearts and minds” strategy, aimed at building trust between the security forces and the local population.
Under his leadership, the Army also launched several community outreach initiatives related to education, sports and employment to connect youth with the mainstream.
Even after retiring from the Army, Hasnain remained active in national policy and security matters.
He served as a member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and also held the position of Chancellor of the University of Kashmir.
Earlier, Arif Mohammad Khan assumed office as the Governor of Bihar on December 24, 2024.
His appointment marked the first time in nearly 26 years that the state had a Governor from the Muslim community since A.R. Kidwai.
With the appointment of Syed Ata Hasnain, Bihar once again has a Governor from the Muslim community, a move seen as administratively and strategically significant.
--IANS
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