Satyapal Malik Passes Away: Wife Iqbal, Son Dev Kabir, Rebellious Political Career, and More!

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Tuesday, August 5, 2025, saw the passing of Satya Pal Malik. In addition, he has held the positions of governor of Bihar, Odisha, Goa, and Meghalaya. He was seventy-nine.

In the middle of the 1960s, Malik entered politics, motivated by Ram Manohar Lohia's socialist philosophy. In 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and in 2012, he was named the party's national vice president. Before the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign staff.

Malik was born on July 24, 1946, into the Jat farming family in Hisawada village in the Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh. He was the president of the college and university student unions while attending Meerut University, which marked the beginning of his political engagement. He has a diploma in legislative affairs and degrees in law and physics.

Malik was well-known for making bold and frequently divisive remarks. He regularly accused the Modi government of being unconcerned with agrarian issues and openly criticized how it handled the farmers' protest. He frequently received criticism for his remarks from members of his own political party, but he never expressed regret.

Coming to the personal life of the former Jammu & Kashmir governor, Satyapal Malik's wife, Iqbal, is a university teacher and a well-known environmentalist. She is known for being the first woman to earn a Ph.D. on Indian monkeys in the wild. A gold medalist in M.Sc. Zoology, she has received prestigious fellowships such as the German Scientist Exchange and Fulbright Fellowships.

Dr. Malik has served as an associate professor at the Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi, and as an adjunct professor at the State University of New York, Buffalo. She also founded Vatavaran, a nonprofit focused on environmental conservation; she is also a member of numerous national bodies, including the Wildlife Board of India and the Animal Welfare Board.

Iqbal also wrote 13 books and contributed to over 120 scientific papers. She is also known to be a prominent media figure, hosting multiple shows on environmental issues. Dr. Iqbal Malik has received several honors, including the United Nations Award for Human Habitation, the Green Citizen award from Dr. Abdul Kalam, and the Green Oscar for her work addressing the monkey menace.

Satyapal Malik and Iqbal also gave birth to a son named Dev Kabir, who works as a graphic designer. He was the logo designer for the well-known beer brand Bira. Dev has obtained a diploma in design from the National Institute of Design (NID) and has worked for numerous big companies. Dev's wife and Satyapal Malik's daughter-in-law is also a graduate from the IIT.