M.O. Hasan Farook Maricar is the 19th Governor of Kerala since its formation in 1956. Seventy four year old (born on September 6, 1937) Farook succeeded R.S. Gavai as Governor.

He was a veteran leader and as a student, he participated in the struggle for liberation of Pondicherry from France during 1953-54 when it was a French Colony.

He served as Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Pondicherry thrice from April 9, 1967- March 6, 1968, March 17, 1969 – January 3, 1974 and from 1985 to 1990.  Elected three times (1991, 1996 and 1999) to the Loksabha from Pondicherry, he also served as Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Tourism between June 1991 and December 1992.

In September 2004, he was appointed as the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and in 2010 as Governor of Jharkhand. As an eminent public figure, M.O.H. Farook was appointed as Governor of Kerala on 25th August 2011 and took office on 8th September, 2011.