Agartala, July 28, 2024: The President of India Droupadi Murmu issued a warrant of appointment to Tripura’s former Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who is a royal scion as the Governor of Tripura on Saturday night. He is one of the nine new governors appointed by President Droupadi Murmu.

Dev Varma, a seasoned BJP leader held the position of Deputy Chief Minister in the Biplab Deb-led cabinet from 2018 to 2023. Despite the removal of Deb from the Chief Minister’s Office, Dev Varma continued to serve in the same capacity under the leadership of Dr Manik Saha.

Expressing his gratitude on social media, the 64-year-old leader stated, “I sincerely thank Her Excellency President of India and The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India for giving me an opportunity to serve the people as the Governor of Telangana.”

Emphasized the significance of his appointment, he added, “It is also a recognition for the people of my state -Tripura as this is the first time since Independence that a person from this state has been elevated to this post. I therefore thank both, once again on behalf of Tripura.”

Dev Varma’s political journey has been marked by notable achievements. In the 2018 Assembly elections, he won the Charilam assembly constituency in Sepahijala district with the highest margin of 26,580 votes. However, he faced a setback in the 2023 Assembly elections, losing in the same constituency.

During his tenure in the first BJP government in Tripura, Dev Varma successfully managed several key portfolios, including Finance, Power, and Rural Development.

His background is equally distinguished; born in August 1957 to Ramendra Kishore Dev Varma and Kamal Prabha Devi, he is often referred to as a prince of the former royal family. He graduated in English from Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) College in Agartala and has been active in Tripura’s political landscape for nearly five decades.

Before joining the BJP, Dev Varma served as a member of the North-Eastern Council (NEC) advisory committee from 1989-1993, and as convener of the Indian National Council for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). His political affiliations included the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) before he shifted to the BJP in 1993.

Dev Varma’s rise within the BJP was swift. He became a national council member for Tripura in 1993 and was later appointed as the party’s national general secretary, tasked with organizing the party in Tripura. Although he faced defeats in the 1996 and 1999 Lok Sabha elections and the 1998 Tripura Assembly elections, he garnered a significant vote share, marking the BJP’s growing influence in the state.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, his strategic role contributed to the BJP’s victory in Tripura. Contesting from the Charilam ST-reserved constituency, he won by securing an impressive 89.33% of the total votes.

Apart from his political career, Dev Varma is also a talented poet and author, having penned works such as ‘Children of Water Goddess’ and ‘Master of Time’. He is an accomplished artist, known for his modern art-themed paintings and sculptures, and has exhibited his work at various tourist spots and temples. Additionally, he is a fashion designer, integrating Tripuri cultural elements into his designs. His multifaceted talents and contributions continue to leave a lasting impact on both the political and cultural landscapes.