The sudden resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, citing health reasons, marks the end of a short but influential chapter in Indian constitutional life. At 74, Dhankhar has stepped down midway through his six-year tenure, joining the ranks of only two other vice presidents, VV Giri and R Venkataraman, who resigned before completing their terms, albeit for different reasons.

But unlike his predecessors who left to assume the higher office of the president, Dhankhar’s exit is one of necessity, not political ambition. It is a moment of reflection for the Indian polity, especially for those who value articulation, constitutional clarity, and nationalist conviction in the upper echelons of public life.

Jagdeep Dhankhar’s career arc has been anything but conventional. A lawyer by training and a farmer’s son by identity, his rise through the political ranks was not driven by dynastic entitlement or ideological posturing. His greatest visibility came not during his years in Parliament or Cabinet, but as Governor of West Bengal. It was there, in the volatile political landscape of Bengal, that Dhankhar found his voice as a constitutional sentinel, one not afraid to call out the excesses of Mamata Banerjee’s regime. Where many governors chose silence or discretion in dealing with regional satraps, Dhankhar spoke with legal precision and unapologetic nationalism. His insistence on constitutional accountability rattled the state........

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