Style His Excellency Appointer President of India | Residence Raj Bhavan; Kolkata Term length Five Years | |
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Inaugural holder Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari Formation 15 August 1947; 69 years ago (1947-08-15) | ||
The Governor of West Bengal is a nominal head and representative of the President of India in the state of West Bengal. The governor is appointed by the president for a term of five years. His official residence is the Raj Bhavan. Keshari Nath Tripathi became the governor on 24 July 2014.
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History
In 1912 the Imperial capital of India was moved from Calcutta to Delhi and as some compensation to Bengal the lieutenant governor with council gave place to a governor with a council thus completing the circle and reverting to the position which had been obtained 200 years ago. In 1947 India achieved independence and the title of Governor of Bengal remained.
Powers and functions
The Governor enjoys many different types of powers:
Ex officio Role of Governor
In his ex officio capacity, the Governor of West Bengal is Chancellor of the universities of West Bengal (at present 14) as per the Acts of the Universities. The Universities are: University of Calcutta, Jadavpur University, University of Kalyani, Rabindra Bharati University, Vidyasagar University, University of Burdwan, North Bengal University, Netaji Subhas Open University, West Bengal University of Technology, Bengal Engineering & Science University, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswa Vidyalaya, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, West Bengal University of Health Sciences and West Bengal State University. For Visva Bharati, the Governor is the Pradhana (Rector).
The Governor is also the Chairman / President of some organizations such as Victoria Memorial Hall, Indian Museum, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS), Calcutta Cultural Centre (Kolkata Kala Kendra), Special Fund for R&R of Ex-servicemen, West Bengal Rajya Sainik Board, Sri Aurobindo Samiti, Indian Red Cross Society - West Bengal State Branch, St. John Ambulance Brigade No. II (West Bengal) District, Bharat Scouts and Guides and the Bengal Tuberculosis Association.
Governor of West Bengal’s Welfare Fund, has the governor as its chairman. Contributions from this Fund are given to the needy people for meeting, to some extent the cost of their treatment. Besides the above, at his discretion, the Governor, accepts the position of Chief Patron/Patron or other posts in the honorary capacity, in various organizations that are rendering yeoman service to the society in different fields.