Nagaland Governor La. Ganesan and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader passed away at a private hospital in Chennai on Friday. He was 80 years old.
The senior politician was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai after he suffered a fall at his residence in Tamil Nadu earlier this month. "Ganesan was undergoing treatment at the ICU of the hospital for the past few days, and he died on Friday night," an official from Kohima Raj Bhavan said. Ganesan was undergoing treatment for a head injury since August 8 at the hospital.
VIDEO | Chennai: Nagaland Governor La Ganesan dies while undergoing treatment at a hospital. Visuals from outside the hospital.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 15, 2025
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Born into a humble family in Thanjavur in 1945, Ganesan was the seventh among nine children. Ganesan's father died when he was 9 years old, and he grew up under the care of his elder brothers.
Ganesan, inspired by his brothers, started participating in the activities of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of five. Ganesan held several key organisational posts of the RSS in Tamil Nadu, and he became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party's executive committee in 1991.
Compelled by family's financial circumstances, Ganesan took up a government job under the revenue department soon after his SSLC examinations. However, attracted to RSS's ideologies, Ganesan resigned from the job after nine years.
Ganesan has also served as president of the party in Tamil Nadu. He has also served in national roles of the party. Ganesan has served in the positions of organizing secretary of Tamil Nadu BJP, national secretary, and national vice president of the BJP.
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Ganesan was nominated as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from Bhopal. He was appointed governor of Manipur from August 2021-February 2023; and was also given additional charge as governor of West Bengal from July-November 2022. Ganesan was appointed as the governor of Nagaland from February 20, 2023.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his demise and remembered him as a devout nationalist. "Pained by the passing of Nagaland Governor Thiru La. Ganesan Ji. He will be remembered as a devout nationalist, who dedicated his life to service and nation-building. He worked hard to expand the BJP across Tamil Nadu. He was deeply passionate about Tamil culture too. My thoughts are with his family and admirers," Modi tweeted.
