Vinai Kumar Saxena took oath as the 22nd lieutenant governor of Delhi at Raj Niwas on Thursday, ANI reported.

He had earlier served as a chairperson of Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

The 64-year-old was administered the oath of office by Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court Vipin Sanghi.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and ministers from his Cabinet attended the ceremony. Union minister Giriraj Singh and MPs and MLAs from the national capital were also present.

Saxena, a Kanpur University alumnus, was appointed to the post on May 23. He succeeds Anil Baijal, who had resigned as the lieutenant governor of Delhi on May 18 citing personal reasons.

“I will work as a local guardian,” Saxena said while interacting with reporters after the ceremony, according to ANI. “You will see me more on roads than in Raj Nivas.”

Saxena said that pollution was one of the major problems in Delhi and that he would try to solve it with the Centre, the Delhi government and the residents.

In March 2021, the Centre appointed Saxena as a member of the national committee to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence, reported PTI.

In November 2020, he was nominated to be part of the Padma Awards selection panel for 2021.