Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain appointed Bihar governor

Patna: Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) has been appointed the governor of Bihar, replacing Arif Mohammed Khan. A retired Indian Army officer, he brings decades of operational, strategic and administrative experience to the constitutional role, having served in some of the country’s most demanding military and security appointments.

His final posting in uniform was as Military Secretary of the Indian Army, a key position responsible for senior-level personnel management, postings and career administration. Before that, he commanded the Army’s 15 Corps in Jammu & Kashmir, a formation central to counter-terror and security operations in the region. He also led 21 Corps (Strike), reflecting his experience in both counter-insurgency and conventional warfighting formations.


After retirement, Hasnain remained active in national and academic roles. In 2018, he was appointed chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir. In Feb 2020, he joined the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) as a member, contributing to policy, preparedness and disaster response. He is also a member of the Empowered Committee for Information & Communication constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office, underscoring his continued engagement with strategic communication and governance initiatives.

His service has been recognised with multiple decorations, including the Vishisht Seva Medal (2003), Sena Medal (2005), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2009), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2012) and Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2013), acknowledging sustained distinguished performance across assignments.

Born into a military family, he is the second son of Major General Syed Mahdi Hasnain, PVSM. He studied at Sherwood College, Nainital, and earned a BA (Honours) in History from Delhi University in 1972. His professional military education includes programmes at the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii, the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, and King’s College, University of London.

Since superannuation on 30 June 2013, he has remained active in public and intellectual engagement, advocating informed understanding of the Indian Army. He is married to Sabiha Hasnain, a senior executive with a multinational company, and they have two daughters.

Former state minister and senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav has been appointed governor of Nagaland.