New Delhi: As former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu took the oath of office as Delhi’s new Lieutenant Governor onWednesday, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and minister of external affairs S Jaishankar sat in the first row –a common alma mater linking them. All three studied at the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, High Commissioner of Australia to India Philip Green, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India M Riaz Hamidullah were also present. D K Upadhyaya, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, administered the oath at Lok Niwas, where chief minister Rekha Gupta, members of the Delhi govt cabinet, MLAs and senior govt officials were in attendance. Sandhu (63), a 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and former Ambassador of India to the United States, said he will work with all stakeholders in Delhi to find solutions to problems. “Delhi has also been my karmabhoomi (workplace). I studied here, completing my college and university,” he added.“The elected govt and all stakeholders have a responsibility to work for the city’s development. The Prime Minister has a vision for India, and Delhi is the capital. We are aware of the challenges, which will keep on increasing. However, there are challenges in other places and around the world as well. It is our responsibility to turn challenges into opportunities. Everyone, irrespective of party affiliation, must work together to find solutions to various problems of Delhi. We have to strengthen the hands of the govt,” the new LG said.CM Gupta expressed confidence that the pace of development in the city will continue under him. “I welcome the LG… and believe that under his leadership, development work in the city will accelerate and we will find solutions to all issues. Delhi govt will work according to your direction and under your guidance,” she said.Sandhu succeeds V K Saxena, who served as LG for nearly four years. Sandhu’s appointment was announced by President Droupadi Murmu as part of a broader reshuffle of governors and LGs across several states and Union territories.As chairman of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Sandhu will have the challenge of implementing the Master Plan of Delhi 2041 after its notification by the ministry. The plan has been waiting for approval from the Centre for a long time.Sandhu had graduated with a BA degree from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, before completing his MA in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).In a diplomatic career spanning more than three decades, he held several key assignments. He worked at the permanent mission of India to United Nations from 2005 to 2009, at the Indian mission in Washington DC multiple times before serving as the ambassador to US from 2020 to 2024.After retiring, Sandhu entered electoral politics and contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar on a BJP ticket, but lost.
