{{short description|Indian politician and Governor of Maharashtra (born 1957)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jishnu Dev Varma | image = Jishnu Dev Varma, Governor of Telangana (cropped).jpg | image_size = | caption = Dev Varma in 2024 | office = 23rd Governor of Maharashtra | term_start = 10 March 2026 | term_end = | 1blankname = Chief Minister | 1namedata = Devendra Fadnavis | 2blankname = Deputy Chief Minister | 2namedata = Eknath Shinde<br/>Sunetra Pawar | predecessor = Acharya Devvrat ''(additional charge)'' | office1 = Governor of Telangana | term_start1 = 31 July 2024<ref name="tg-term-start" /> | term_end1 = 10 March 2026 | 1blankname1 = Chief Minister | 1namedata1 = Anumula Revanth Reddy | 2blankname1 = Deputy Chief Minister | 2namedata1 = Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka | predecessor1 = C. P. Radhakrishnan ''(additional charge)'' | successor1 = Shiv Pratap Shukla | office2 = 3rd Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura | term_start2 = 9 March 2018 | term_end2 = 2 March 2023 | 1blankname2 = {{nowrap|Chief Minister}} | 1namedata2 = Biplab Kumar Deb<br/>Manik Saha | constituency2 = Charilam | predecessor2 = Baidyanath Majumder | successor2 = | 2blankname2 = Portfolios | 2namedata2 = {{bulletedlist|Finance|Power|Rural Development (including Panchayat)|Planning and Coordination (including Statistics)|TREDA| Science, Technology, and Environment}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.india.com/news/india/tripura-government-2018-full-list-of-ministers-with-portfolio-in-biplab-kumar-deb-cabinet-2934498/|title=Tripura Government 2018: Full List of Ministers With Portfolio in Biplab Kumar Deb Cabinet|date=9 March 2018|access-date=11 March 2018|archive-date=12 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312083222/http://www.india.com/news/india/tripura-government-2018-full-list-of-ministers-with-portfolio-in-biplab-kumar-deb-cabinet-2934498/amp/|url-status=live}}</ref> | birth_name = Jishnu Dev Varma | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|08|15|df=y}} | birth_place = Tripura, India | party = Bharatiya Janata Party | spouse = Sudha Debbarma | children = 2 | relations = *Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur (uncle) *Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma (nephew) *Kriti Devi Debbarman (niece) | alma_mater = University of Calcutta (B.A. Hons. English Literature) }}
'''Jishnu Dev Varma''' (born 15 August 1957), is an Indian politician serving as the Governor of Maharashtra since 2026. He previously served as Governor of Telangana from 2024 till 2026.<ref name="tg-term-start">{{Cite news |date=31 July 2024 |title=Jishnu Dev Varma takes oath as Governor of Telangana |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/jishnu-dev-varma-takes-oath-as-governor-of-telangana-1813474 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731140543/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/jishnu-dev-varma-takes-oath-as-governor-of-telangana-1813474 |archive-date=31 July 2024 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Reddy |first=R. Ravikanth |date=28 July 2024 |title=Who is Jishnu Dev Varma, the new Governor of Telangana? |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/who-is-jishnu-dev-varma-the-new-governor-of-telangana/article68456187.ece |access-date=3 August 2024 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=28 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728064137/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/who-is-jishnu-dev-varma-the-new-governor-of-telangana/article68456187.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> He is from Tripura, and has previously served as the 3rd Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura from 2018 to 2023. He served as the MLA of Charilam from 2018 till 2023. He was the head of the Badminton Association of India, and was formerly the president of its Tripura unit.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Affiliated Organisations |url=https://www.badmintonindia.org/organization/affiliated-organization/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710020515/https://badmintonindia.org/organization/affiliated-organization/ |archive-date=10 July 2023 |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=Badminton Association of India}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Jishnu Dev Varma was born in Agartala, Tripura on 15 August 1957. His father Ramendra Kishore Debbarma was the military secretary and home secretary to Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya.
Dev Varma is a member of the Tripura royal family and is the uncle of Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma and Kriti Devi Debbarman.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kalita |first=Prabin |date=7 March 2018 |title=Tripura royal family scion to be deputy chief minister |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tripura-royal-family-scion-to-be-deputy-chief-minister/articleshow/63195692.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |access-date=22 April 2024 |archive-date=8 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208165458/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tripura-royal-family-scion-to-be-deputy-chief-minister/articleshow/63195692.cms |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0" />
He received his B.A. Honours from Calcutta University.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Tripura Election 2023: 5 Points On Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/tripura-election-2023-5-points-on-deputy-chief-minister-jishnu-dev-varma-3770569 |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=NDTV}}</ref>
==Politics== Dev Varma joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in early 1990s during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 March 2023 |title=The blemish in BJP's Tripura win: Deputy CM Jishnu Dev Varma pays for misjudging TIPRA Motha |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/bjp-tripura-deputy-cm-jishnu-dev-varma-tipra-motha-8477156/ |access-date=3 March 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en |archive-date=3 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303125440/https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/bjp-tripura-deputy-cm-jishnu-dev-varma-tipra-motha-8477156/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1993, he was made a national general secretary of the party. In the 2018 Tripura Legislative Assembly election, he won the seat of Charilam with a margin of over 25,000 votes. He received 89% of the 29,753 valid votes polled in the bypoll. He defeated Arjun Debbarma of the Congress.<ref name=":1" /> He was also chosen to be the Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura. During this term, he held the portfolios of Finance, Power, Rural Development (including Panchayat), Planning and Coordination, TREDA, Science, Technology & Environment.<ref name=":0" />
He was chosen as the Chairman of the North East Regional Power Committee (NERPC) on 22 September 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 September 2022 |title=Deputy CM Jishnu Dev varma takes charge as Chairman of NERPC - Tripura Chronicle |url=https://tripurachronicle.in/local-news/deputy-cm-jishnu-dev-varma-takes-charge-as-chairman-of-nerpc/ |access-date=3 August 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref>
In the 2023 Tripura Legislative Assembly election, he was the richest candidate from Tripura.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 January 2023 |title=Dy CM Jishnu Dev Varma is richest, Manik Saha is second and Sudip Roy Barman third richest MLA |url=https://northeastlivetv.com/topnews/tripura-dy-cm-jishnu-dev-varma-is-richest-manik-saha-is-second-and-sudip-roy-barman-third-richest-mla/ |access-date=3 August 2024 |website=Northeast Live |language=en-IN}}</ref> He lost to his rival Subodh Deb Barma, who represented the Tipra Motha Party, the only member of the incumbent cabinet to lose re-election.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 March 2023 |title=Deputy CM Jishnu Deb Varma's loss setback to victorious BJP in Tripura |url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/tripura-assembly/deputy-cm-jishnu-deb-varmas-loss-setback-to-victorious-bjp-in-tripura/article66572864.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004144454/https://www.thehindu.com/elections/tripura-assembly/deputy-cm-jishnu-deb-varmas-loss-setback-to-victorious-bjp-in-tripura/article66572864.ece |archive-date=4 October 2023 |access-date=3 August 2024 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
Jishnu Dev Varma was appointed as Governor of Telangana by President Droupadi Murmu on 27 July 2024, and took office on 31 July 2024.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="President appoints 6 new Governors including Om Prakash Mathur, Santosh Gangwar, reshuffles 3 others">{{cite news |last1=India TV News |last2= |first2= |date=28 July 2024 |title=President appoints 6 new Governors including Om Prakash Mathur, Santosh Gangwar, reshuffles 3 others |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/president-murmu-appoints-new-governors-gangwar-goes-to-jharkhand-gulab-chand-kataria-to-punjab-manipur-telangana-maharashtra-latest-updates-2024-07-28-944002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728050455/https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/president-murmu-appoints-new-governors-gangwar-goes-to-jharkhand-gulab-chand-kataria-to-punjab-manipur-telangana-maharashtra-latest-updates-2024-07-28-944002 |archive-date=28 July 2024 |access-date=28 July 2024 |work= |language=en}}</ref><ref name="tg-term-start" /> On 6 March 2026, Dev Varma was appointed as the Governor of Maharashtra and assumed office on 10 March 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ब्युरो |first=एबीपी माझा |date=2026-03-05 |title=महाराष्ट्राच्या राज्यपालपदी जिष्णू देव वर्मांची नियुक्ती; त्रिपुराच्या राजघराण्याशी संबंधित |url=https://marathi.abplive.com/news/maharashtra/jishnu-dev-varma-new-maharashtra-governor-profile-tripura-bjp-leader-political-journey-marathi-1415169 |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=ABP Majha |language=mr}}</ref>
== Personal life == Jishnu Dev Varma is married to Sudha Debbarma. They have two sons: Pratik Kishore Dev Varma and Jaibant Kishore Dev Varma. He has 3 sisters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shreya |date=14 May 2022 |title=Who will replace Biplab Deb as new Tripura CM? Full list of probables |url=https://www.oneindia.com/india/who-will-replace-biplab-deb-as-new-tripura-cm-full-list-of-probables-3408195.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514115119/http://www.oneindia.com/india/who-will-replace-biplab-deb-as-new-tripura-cm-full-list-of-probables-3408195.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |access-date=3 August 2024 |work=Oneindia}}</ref> Dev Varma's half brother is Bharat Dev Varma who is the husband of the actress Moon Moon Sen and father of Raima Sen Dev Varma and Riya Sen Dev Varma.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 November 2024 |title=Ex-Tripura DyCM Jishnu Dev Verma's elder brother Bharat Dev Varma passes away in Kolkata |url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/tripura/story/ex-tripura-dycm-jishnu-dev-vermas-elder-brother-bharat-dev-varma-passes-away-in-kolkata-1123301-2024-11-19 |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=India Today NE |language=hi}}</ref>
==Cultural and political image==
Dev Varma's royal upbringing and connection to the Tripuran royal family is one of the prominent highlights of his public life. He is popularly referred to as ‘'''Karta'''’, meaning ''prince'' throughout his life, signifying his recognition as a member of the royal family.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 February 2023 |title=Jishnu Dev Varma: The royal in BJP camp, a loyalist through its good times and bad |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/jishnu-dev-varma-royal-bjp-camp-loyalist-good-times-bad-8441829/ |access-date=21 October 2024 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>
He is known to be quite active in the cultural sphere; including writings, archiving, and also as a patron of arts. His collection of photographs were featured in a Marg Magazine special issue: ''The Risha, History in a Narrow Weave,'' authored by designer Artrik Dev Varman.<ref>{{Cite news |last=K.G |first=Pramod Kumar |date=24 May 2024 |title=Woven by peasants and princesses {{!}} Aratrik Dev Varman on Tripura's risha |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/risha-tripura-aratrik-dev-varman-marg-magazine-woven-by-peasants-and-princesses/article68200039.ece |access-date=21 October 2024 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
== Bibliography ==
=== Books === *Dev Varma, Jishnu (2025), ''Master of Time: Journey Through an Ancient Kingdom,'' PP Publication<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=Master of Time: Journey Through an Ancient Kingdom |publisher=PP Publication |year=2025 |isbn=978-0532954170 |edition=1st}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-10 |title=Unveiling secrets of Tripura: Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Verma launches book 'Master of Time' |url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/tripura/story/unveiling-secrets-of-tripura-telangana-governor-jishnu-dev-verma-launches-book-master-of-time-1152753-2025-01-10 |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=India Today NE |language=hi}}</ref> *{{Citation |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=The Children of Water Goddess |date=2024 |publisher=Bhabani Books}} *{{Citation |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=Views, Reviews, and My Poems |date=2024 |publisher=Bhabani Books}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 July 2024 |title=Former Tripura Deputy CM's new book "Views, Reviews, and My Poems" explores personal and cultural narratives |url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/tripura/story/former-tripura-deputy-cms-new-book-views-reviews-and-my-poems-explores-personal-and-cultural-narratives-1059112-2024-07-28 |access-date=29 July 2024 |website=India Today NE |language=en |archive-date=29 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240729110111/https://www.indiatodayne.in/tripura/story/former-tripura-deputy-cms-new-book-views-reviews-and-my-poems-explores-personal-and-cultural-narratives-1059112-2024-07-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Articles=== *{{Citation |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=Con (Fusion) Of Language and Origin |date=2023 |url=https://tripurachronicle.in/articles/con-fusion-of-language-and-origin/ |publisher=Tripura Chronicle}} *{{Citation |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=Looking Back |date=2022 |url=https://tripurachronicle.in/articles/looking-back-by-jishnu-dev-varma/ |publisher=Tripura Chronicle}} *{{Citation |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=Maharaja Bir Bikram College: A Dream College |date=2022 |url=https://tripurachronicle.in/articles/a-dream-college-on-its-platinum-jubilee/ |publisher=Tripura Chronicle}} *{{Citation |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=Indigenous Wisdom- Man and Nature |date=2022 |url=https://tripurachronicle.in/articles/indigenous-wisdom-man-and-nature/}} *{{Citation |last=Dev Varma |first=Jishnu |title=The Indigenous World View. (Man And Nature) |date=2022 |url=https://www.tripuranet.com/tnetarticle/the-indigenous-world-view-man-and-nature-jishnu-dev-varma-8.html |publisher=Tripura Net |access-date=24 January 2024 |archive-date=12 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212113238/https://www.tripuranet.com/tnetarticle/the-indigenous-world-view-man-and-nature-jishnu-dev-varma-8.html |url-status=dead }}
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Bharatiya Janata Party}} {{Commons category}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Dev Varma, Jishnu}} Category:Politicians from Tripura Category:Living people Category:Tripuri people Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Tripura Category:Tripura MLAs 2018–2023 Category:People from Bishnupur district Category:Deputy chief ministers of Tripura Category:State cabinet ministers of Tripura Category:1957 births Category:Governors of Maharashtra Category:Governors of Telangana