Kailashnathan, a retired IAS officer from Gujarat, was sworn in as the 25th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on August 7, marking the first time the Union Territory has had a full-time Lt. Governor since 2021. The oath of office was administered by D Krishnakumar, the Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, in a ceremony attended by Chief Minister N Rangasamy and other officials. Kailashnathan, 71, has a long-standing association with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having served in the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office for 18 years. His appointment follows the resignation of C P Radhakrishnan, who held the position temporarily since March. The N R Congress-BJP coalition governs Puducherry, with Rangasamy as Chief Minister. Kailashnathan's extensive bureaucratic experience positions him as a significant figure in the region's administration.