Lt. Gen. (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain: the new Governor of Bihar

Lieutenant General (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain was appointed Governor of Bihar on Thursday, May 5, 2026, as part of the important governorship appointments made by President Droupadi Murmu.

Mr. Hasnain succeeds Arif Muhammad Khan, who was sworn in as Governor of Bihar on January 2, 2025.

A decorated former officer of the Indian Army, he was appointed to one of the country’s most important constitutional positions, bringing with him decades of military leadership and public service.

Early life

Born into a military family, Mr Hasnain completed his education at Sherwood College in Nainital and later went to St Stephen’s College in Delhi. King’s College, University of London. He also studied at the Royal College of Defense Studies, King’s College London and the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii.

Hasnain’s military career

Mr. Hasnain was commissioned in 4th Battalion of Garhwal Rifles in 1974 after graduating from the Indian Military Academy. During his almost four decades of service, he held many important command and staff appointments, mostly in Jammu and Kashmir.

He has served in various critical missions from Sri Lanka to Siachen Glacier, from the North East to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and in UN operations from Mozambique to Rwanda.

General Hasnain commanded the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, one of the Army’s most critical formations responsible for operations in the Kashmir Valley. He also led the 21 Corps, a major offensive formation of the Indian Army.

His last assignment before retirement was as Military Secretary of the Indian Army, a pivotal position responsible for overseeing senior officer appointments and administrative functions within the force.

Hasnain’s role after retirement

After retiring from the Indian Army in July 2013 after 40 years of active service, Mr. Hasnain continued to contribute to public life through academic and corporate roles.

He writes on Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, West Asia and transnational extremist violence, and speaks on national security in various military, civil services and corporate bodies.

In 2015, he was nominated as a Board Member of the Prime Minister’s Library and Museum, one of the country’s key institutions preserving modern Indian history.

On 13 July 2018, the President of India appointed him as the Chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir.

He was awarded six decorations by the President of India and two by the Chief of Army Staff.

He currently serves as a member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).