Bhubaneswar, October 12: President Droupadi Murmu has appointed former Lok Sabha MP Braj Mohan Ram as the new Governor of Odisha, according to an announcement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 12, 2026.

Ram’s appointment is part of a gubernatorial reshuffle involving six states. He will succeed Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, who has been serving as Odisha’s Governor since January 2025. His appointment will take effect from the date he assumes charge of the office.

Political Career

Braj Mohan Ram is associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has a long political career spanning both state and national politics.

He represented the Palamu constituency in the Lok Sabha for three consecutive terms, winning the general elections in 1996, 1998 and 1999. At the time, Palamu was part of Bihar before Jharkhand was carved out as a separate state in 2000.

Before entering Parliament, Ram served as a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly from 1991 to 1995. He has also held organisational responsibilities within the BJP, including serving as the state in-charge of the party’s Scheduled Caste Morcha in Jharkhand.

Change in Odisha’s Constitutional Leadership

Ram’s appointment marks a change in the constitutional leadership of Odisha as part of the latest round of gubernatorial appointments announced by the President. He will assume the responsibilities of the Governor upon taking charge of the office.

The Governor serves as the constitutional head of the state, with responsibilities defined under the Constitution of India. Ram’s appointment brings a new incumbent to the Raj Bhavan in Odisha following the tenure of his predecessor, Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati.