The governor of West Bengal is the nominal head of the Indian state of West Bengal. The governor is appointed by the President of India. R. N. Ravi is the incumbent governor since 12 March 2026.
Powers and functions
The governor enjoys many different types of powers:
Executive powers related to administration, appointments and removals; Legislative powers related to lawmaking and the state legislature, that is Vidhan Sabha or Vidhan Parishad; Discretionary powers to be carried out according to the discretion of the governor.
Ex officio role of governor In his ex officio capacity, the governor of West Bengal is Chancellor of the universities of West Bengal (37 as of June 2026) as per the Acts of the Universities. The Universities are: Aliah University Alipurduar University Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University Bankura University Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya Biswa Bangla Biswabidyalay Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University Darjeeling Hills University Dakshin Dinajpur University Diamond Harbour Women's University Harichand Guruchand University Hindi University Jadavpur University Kanyashree University Kazi Nazrul University Mahatma Gandhi University Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology Murshidabad University Netaji Subhas Open University North Bengal University Presidency University, Kolkata Rabindra Bharati University Raiganj University Rani Rashmoni Green University Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University of Jhargram Sidho Kanho Birsha University The Sanskrit College and University University of Burdwan University of Gour Banga University of Kalyani University of Calcutta Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya Vidyasagar University Visva Bharati, here the governor is the Pradhana (Rector). National University of Juridical Sciences West Bengal State University West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences West Bengal University of Health Sciences
The governor is also the chairman or president of some organisations, 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.
The 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 organisations that are rendering yeoman service to society in different fields.
List
Legend Died in office Transferred Resigned/removed
Color key indicates acting/additional charge
Portrait Name(borndied) Home state Tenure in office Appointer(President) From To Time in office 1 Chakravarti Rajagopalachari Madras Presidency 1947 1948 Lord Mountbatten 2 Kailash Nath Katju Central Provinces and Berar 1948 1951 3 Harendra Coomar Mookerjee West Bengal 1951 1956 Rajendra Prasad 4 Phani Bhusan Chakravartti(Acting) West Bengal 1956 1956 5 Padmaja Naidu Andhra Pradesh 1956 1967 6 Dharma Vira Uttar Pradesh 1967 1969 Zakir Husain 7 Deep Narayan Sinha(Acting) West Bengal 1969 1969 8 Shanti Swaroop Dhavan Uttar Pradesh 1969 1971 V. V. Giri 9 Anthony Lancelot Dias Maharashtra 1971 1979 10 Tribhuvan Narain Singh Uttar Pradesh 1979 1981 Neelam Sanjiva Reddy 11 Bhairab Dutt Pande Uttar Pradesh 1981 1983 12 Anant Prasad Sharma Bihar 1983 1984 Zail Singh 13 Satish Chandra(Acting) Uttar Pradesh 1984 1984 14 Uma Shankar Dikshit Uttar Pradesh 1984 1986 15 Saiyid Nurul Hasan Uttar Pradesh 1986 1989 16 T. V. Rajeswar Tamil Nadu 1989 1990 Ramaswamy Venkataraman (15) Saiyid Nurul Hasan Uttar Pradesh 1990 1991 17 K. V. Raghunatha Reddy(Acting) Andhra Pradesh 1991 1991 (15) Saiyid Nurul Hasan Uttar Pradesh 1991 1992 18 Mohammad Shafi Qureshi(Acting) Jammu and Kashmir 1992 1992 (15) Saiyid Nurul Hasan Uttar Pradesh 1992 1993 19 B. Satya Narayan Reddy(Additional Charge) Andhra Pradesh 1993 1993 Shankar Dayal Sharma (17) K. V. Raghunatha Reddy Andhra Pradesh 1993 1998 20 Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai National Capital Territory of Delhi 1998 1999 K. R. Narayanan 21 Shyamal Kumar Sen West Bengal 1999 1999 22 Viren J. Shah Gujarat 1999 2004 23 Gopalkrishna Gandhi National Capital Territory of Delhi 2004 2009 A. P. J. Abdul Kalam 24 Devanand Konwar(Additional Charge) Assam 2009 2010 Pratibha Patil 25 M. K. Narayanan Tamil Nadu 2010 2014 26 D. Y. Patil(Additional Charge) Maharashtra 2014 2014 Pranab Mukherjee 27 Keshari Nath Tripathi Uttar Pradesh 2014 2019 28 Jagdeep Dhankhar Rajasthan 2019 2022 Ram Nath Kovind 29 La. Ganesan(Additional Charge) Tamil Nadu 2022 2022 30 C. V. Ananda Bose Keralam 2022 12 March 2026 Droupadi Murmu 31 R. N. RaviBihar12 March 2026Incumbent
Oath Ami, [Apnar Naam], Ishwarer naame shapath korchhi je, ami faithful bhabe [State-er Naam]-er Governor-er office execute korbo (othoba Governor-er shob functions discharge korbo) ebong ami amar best ability diye Constitution ar law-ke preserve, protect, ar defend korbo. Ami nijeke [State-er Naam]-er manushder service ar well-being-er jonne devote korbo." See also West Bengal Governors and Lieutenant-Governors of states of India
References
External links Raj Bhavan's (Governor's residence) official website Constitutional role of Governor Ex officio role of Governor title=Governors of Bengal from 1912 up to the present day