Dr. Dinesh Sharma has taken on a new constitutional responsibility following his appointment as the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The former Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former Mayor of Lucknow said the new role is a challenge, but turning challenges into opportunities has been his approach, while stressing that his association with Lucknow will continue.
President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Dr. Dinesh Sharma as the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. His appointment will take effect from the date he assumes office. He will succeed Admiral D.K. Joshi, who has served as Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory since October 2017.
Following the appointment, Sharma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the President and the party leadership. He said his priority would be to fulfil the trust placed in him with complete dedication, hard work and honesty. According to Sharma, the importance of any position is determined not merely by its title but by the work done for people through that position.
The new responsibility comes with administrative challenges in an area of strategic importance. Located in the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are important from security and strategic perspectives as well as for tourism, the environment, infrastructure and local development.
Sharma has indicated that giving tourism a new direction in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be among his priorities. He said the region has considerable tourism potential and could be developed into one of the country's major tourism centres while preserving its natural beauty. The islands' beaches, marine activities, natural environment and biodiversity have the potential to attract tourists from India and abroad.
Tourism in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has already been growing. According to a report from November 2025, 7.2 lakh tourists had visited the islands in the previous year, while six lakh tourists had arrived by September 2025 in the archipelago, which has a population of around four lakh.
Alongside increasing tourism, the administration has also emphasised maintaining environmental balance and has been working on plans to open new islands to tourists in a controlled manner.
For Sharma, this creates the task of balancing tourism expansion with environmental protection. The islands have limited natural capacity, making tourist numbers, waste management, marine ecology, local resources and infrastructure important considerations during tourism expansion. The administration has already been studying the impact of tourism and working towards controlled tourism in sensitive areas.
Sharma's political and administrative experience has largely been associated with Uttar Pradesh, a large and densely populated state. He served as Deputy Chief Minister in the Yogi Adityanath government from 2017 to 2022. During that period, he handled the departments of secondary education, higher education, science and technology, and IT and electronics.
Before entering state-level politics, Sharma served as a professor in the Commerce Department at Lucknow University. He subsequently established his political identity through municipal politics and was elected Mayor of Lucknow twice. He first became mayor in 2008 and assumed the responsibility again in 2012. His role in the BJP organisation subsequently expanded, and he also held responsibilities at the national level.
Following his appointment, Sharma spoke about his association with Lucknow at a cultural programme held in the city. He said activities linked to Lucknow's culture, history, literature, cuisine and social traditions provide an opportunity to understand the city's identity. During the programme, he also spoke about his connection with the city and said that his relationship with Lucknow would continue despite his new constitutional responsibility.
Sharma has also clarified that he will have to resign from the BJP to assume the constitutional responsibility of Lieutenant Governor. He is currently a Rajya Sabha member, with his term scheduled to continue until November 2026. After assuming the office of Lieutenant Governor, his constitutional role will take precedence over his political responsibilities.
The responsibilities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will extend beyond tourism. Improving healthcare, education, transportation, digital connectivity, employment and basic facilities for local residents will also remain important administrative priorities.
The geographical conditions of the islands differ from those of the mainland, making strategies suited to local circumstances important for implementing development plans.
Sharma said there is considerable scope for work in tourism, infrastructure and public facilities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He has also spoken of working through better coordination between the administration and the central government, with an emphasis on ensuring that central policies and schemes reach local residents effectively and that development takes local requirements into account.
Plans to give the Andaman and Nicobar Islands a new identity as a tourism destination could include new experiences alongside beaches and traditional tourism. The region already has potential for activities such as water sports, marine tourism, birdwatching and astro-tourism, which are being developed.
The administration has also taken steps towards involving local youth in tourism and training guides.
Sharma said challenges are not new to him. His political career has included responsibilities related to the organisation, municipal administration, the state government and Parliament. The responsibility of an area that is both strategically important and environmentally sensitive will now bring a new dimension to his experience. He has described the new assignment as an opportunity rather than pressure.
His appointment comes as preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections have also begun. Sharma's appointment as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is therefore also being viewed from a political perspective.
However, the office of Lieutenant Governor is constitutional, and his primary responsibility in the new role will be the administration, development and protection of local interests in the Union Territory.
For Sharma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands assignment marks a new chapter after his tenure as Mayor of Lucknow, service as Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and membership of the Rajya Sabha. He has said that Lucknow remains an important part of his life and that his relationship with the city will continue. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, his stated focus will be on improving tourism, infrastructure and public facilities while developing the region as one of the country's major tourism centres.
