Prime Ministers of India

Narendra Modi

Current Prime Minister of India: Narendra Damodardas Modi.

First Prime Minister of Republic of India: Jawahar Lal Nehru.

First Female Prime Minister of India: Indira Gandhi.

Since the independence of India, there has seen 15 Prime Ministers (however, person 14). The Prime Minister of India becomes the chief executive of the Indian Government and representative of the Country. The Prime Minister becomes leader of party having majority in the parliament. He becomes the chief adviser to the President of India as well as head of the Council of Ministers. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru was the longest-serving prime minister of India who served until his death in May 1964.

The Prime Minister of India becomes the in charge Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Ministry of Planning, Department of Space and Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. He becomes the member of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. He performs the functions of formation of ministry, distribution of portfolios, chairman of the cabinet committee, chief co-ordinator of the policies and sole adviser to the President. Below, we have mentioned the name and details of the Prime Ministers of India since the independence of India till date.

Indian Prime Ministers

Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru

Office Term: 15 August 1947 to 27 May 1964

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Phulpur

Jawaharlal Nehru was the 1st Prime Minister of India after the independence of India and served the country from 15 August 1947 to 27 May 1964 (for 16 years and 286 days). He won the election for Prime Minister of India for four times. He also served the country as Minister of Defence (from 31 October 1962 to 14 November 1962, 30 January 1957 to 17 April 1957 and 10 February 1953 to 10 January 1955), Minister of Finance (from 13 February 1958 to 13 March 1958 and 24 July 1956 to 30 August 1956) and Minister of External Affairs (from 15 August 1947 – 27 May 1964). He was a paramount leader of Indian independence movement and served India from 1947 until his death. He was famous as Pandit Nehru (Scholar Nehru or Panditji) whereas by the children as Chacha Nehru (or Uncle Nehru).

He was born on 14th of November in 1889 in Allahabad, North-Western Provinces, British India (now in Uttar Pradesh, India). By Profession, he was a Barrister, Writer and Politician. He completed his honours degree in Natural Science in 1910 from Trinity College, Cambridge and law degree from Inns of Court School of Law (Inner Temple), London. He died on 27th of May in 1964 at age 74 in New Delhi, Delhi, India because of heart attack.

 

Gulzarilal Nanda

Gulzarilal Nanda

Office Term: 27 May 1964 to 9 June 1964

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Sabarkantha

Gulzarilal Nanda was the first acting Prime Minister of India from 27 May 1964 to 9 June 1964 for only 13 days till the next prime minister got selected (after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964). He also served the country as a Minister of Home Affairs from 29 August 1963 to 14 November 1966.

He was born (in a Punjabi Hindu family) on 4th of July in 1898 in Sialkot, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan). He has been awarded with the highest civilian award of India called as Bharat Ratna 1997. He died on 15th of January in 1998 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

Lal Bahadur Shastri

Lal Bahadur Shastri

Office Term: 9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Allahabad

Lal Bahadur Shastri was the 2nd Prime Minister of the Republic of India and served the country from 9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966 for 1 year and 216 days. He also served the country as a Minister of External Affairs from 9 June 1964 to 18 July 1964 and Minister of Home Affairs from 4 April 1961 to 29 August 1963. He was a leader of the Indian National Congress party and actively participated in the Indian Independence movement. He is really an inspirational leader to all of us as he led the country successfully during Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 and given the famous slogan of “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” during the shortage of food all over the country.

He was born on 2nd of October in 1904 in Varanasi, United Provinces, British Raj (now in Uttar Pradesh, India). He died on 11th of January in 1966 in Tashkent, Soviet Union (now in Uzbekistan) before completing his full term of prime-ministership. His death is still a mystery however considered as he died because of heart attack. He was the first person who has been awarded with the Bharat Ratna after his death (posthumously).

 

Gulzarilal Nanda

Gulzarilal Nanda

Office Term: 11 January 1966 to 24 January 1966

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Sabarkantha

Gulzarilal Nanda became the second acting prime minister of India (from 11 January 1966 to 24 January 1966) for 13 days only, after the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri until the next prime minister got selected.

 

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi

Office Term: 24 January 1966 to 24 March 1977

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Rae Bareli

Indira Gandhi was the 3rd Prime Minister of India (however first woman Prime Minister of India) and served the country from 24 January 1966 to 24 March 1977 (for 11 years, 59 days). She won the election for prime minister three time however completed two full term and incomplete third term (only 1 year and 59 days). She also served the country as Minister of External Affairs (from 9 March 1984 to 31 October 1984 and 22 August 1967 to 14 March 1969), Minister of Defence (from 14 January 1980 to 15 January 1982 and 30 November 1975 to 20 December 1975), Minister of Home Affairs (from 27 June 1970 to 4 February 1973), Minister of Finance (from 16 July 1969 to 27 June 1970) and Minister of Information and Broadcasting (from 1964 to 1966).

She became the second longest serving Prime Minister of India (after her father Jawaharlal Nehru, who was the first longest serving Prime Minister of India) and only woman who hold the office as prime minister.

She was born in a Kashmiri Pandit family as Indira Priyadarshini Nehru on 19th of November in 1917 in Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (now in Uttar Pradesh, India). She was awarded with the highest civilian honour of India means the Bharat Ratna in 1971 during her term of Prime Minister. She has also been honored by the BBC through title as “Woman of the Millennium” in a poll organized in 1999 and India Today ranked her as the greatest Indian Prime Minister in a poll organized in 2001. She died on 31st of October in 1984 at age 66 in New Delhi, Delhi, India because of assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.

 

Morarji Desai

Morarji Desai

Office Term: 24 March 1977 to 28 July 1979

Political Party: Janata Party

Constituency: MP for Surat

Morarji Desai was the 4th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 24 March 1977 to 28 July 1979. He also served the country as Minister of Home Affairs (from 1 July 1978 to 28 July 1979), 2nd Deputy Prime Minister of India (from 13 March 1967 to 16 July 1969), and Minister of Finance (from 13 March 1967 to 16 July 1969 and 13 March 1958 to 29 August 1963). By profession, he was a Civil servant and a notable Indian independence activist. He became the first Prime Minister of India who head the first non-Congress Government of India. He was the only Indian who has been awarded with the Pakistan’s highest civilian award named Nishan-e-Pakistan by the President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990.

He was born on 29th of February in 1896 in Bhadeli, Bombay Presidency, British India. He died on 10th of April in 1995 at the age of 99 in New Delhi, Delhi, India. He was a longtime practitioner of urine therapy and told about benefits of drinking urine to Dan Rather on 60 Minutes.

 

Chaudhary Charan Singh

Charan Singh

Office Term: 28 July 1979 to 14 January 1980

Political Party: Janata Party

Constituency: MP for Baghpat

Chaudhary Charan Singh was the 5th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 28 July 1979 to 14 January 1980. He also served the country as the Minister of Finance (from 24 January 1979 to 28 July 1979), Deputy Prime Minister of India (from 24 March 1977 to 28 July 1979), Minister of Home Affairs (from 24 March 1977 to 1 July 1978) and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (from 3 April 1967 to 25 February 1968 and 18 February 1970 to 1 October 1970). He entered to the politics through Indian Independence Movement and motivation of Mahatma Gandhi.

He was born on 23rd of December in 1902 in Noorpur, United Provinces, British India (now in Uttar Pradesh, India). He did his MA (in 1925) and Law degree (in 1926) from Agra University. He died on 29th of May in 1987 at the age of 84.

 

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi

Office Term: 14 January 1980 to 31 October 1984

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Medak

Indira Gandhi again became the 6th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 14 January 1980 to 31 October 1984 (for 4 years, 291 days). She continued the office until her assassination in 1984.

 

Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi

Office Term: 31 October 1984 to 2 December 1989

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Amethi

Rajiv Gandhi (full name is Rajiv Ratna Gandhi) became the 7th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 31 October 1984 to 2 December 1989 (for 5 years, 32 days) after the death of his mother Indira Gandhi. He also served the country as Leader of the Opposition (from 18 December 1989 to 23 December 1990), President of the Indian National Congress (from 1985 to 1991) and Member of Parliament for Amethi (from 17 August 1981 to 21 May 1991). He was the youngest Indian Prime Minister. Earlier he was a professional pilot however joined the politics after the death of his brother in an aeroplane crash in 1980 at the behest of Indira. He was awarded by the Indian government with the Bharat Ratna in 1991 after his death.

He was born on 20th of August in 1944 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India (now Mumbai, Maharashtra, India). He studied engineering at Trinity College, Cambridge. He died on 21st of May in 1991 at the age of 46 in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India. He was assassinated at the public meeting by the woman named as Thenmozhi Rajaratnam.

 

V. P. Singh

V. P. Singh

Office Term: 2 December 1989 to 10 November 1990

Political Party: Janata Dal

Constituency: MP for Fatehpur

V. P. Singh (Vishwanath Pratap Singh) was the 8th Prime Minister of India and served the country from

2 December 1989 to 10 November 1990 (for 343 days). He also served the country as Minister of Defence (from 2 December 1989 to 10 November 1990 and 24 January 1987 to 12 April 1987), Minister of Finance (from 31 December 1984 to 23 January 1987), and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (from 9 June 1980 to 19 July 1982).

He was born (in the Rajput zamindar means traditional landlord family) on 25th of June in 1931 in Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (now in Uttar Pradesh, India). He completed his education from the Colonel Brown Cambridge School, Dehra Dun, Allahabad and Pune universities. He died on 27th of November in 2008 at the age of 77 in New Delhi, Delhi, India because of suffering from the multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer) and renal failure at Apollo Hospital, Delhi.

 

Chandra Shekhar

Chandra Shekhar

Office Term: 10 November 1990 to 21 June 1991

Political Party: Samajwadi Janata Party

Constituency: MP for Ballia

Chandra Shekhar Singh was the 9th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 10 November 1990 to 21 June 1991 (for 223 days). He was born on 1st of July in 1927 in Ibrahimpatti, United Provinces, British India (now in Uttar Pradesh). He did his BA degree from Satish Chandra P.G. College and Master’s degree in political science in 1951 from Allahabad University. After his education he joined the socialist politics. He died on 8th of July in 2007 at the age of 80 as he was suffering with multiple myeloma.

 

P. V. Narasimha Rao

P. V. Narasimha Rao

Office Term: 21 June 1991 to 16 May 1996

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP for Nandyal

Pamulaparti Venkata Narasimha Rao was the 10th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 21 June 1991 to 16 May 1996 (for 4 years, 330 days). He also served the country as Minister of Defence (from 6 March 1993 to 16 May 1996 and 31 December 1984 to 25 September 1985), Minister of External Affairs (from 31 March 1992 to 18 January 1993, 25 June 1988 to 2 December 1989, and 14 January 1980 to 19 July 1984), Minister of Home Affairs (from 12 March 1986 to 12 May 1986 and

19 July 1984 to 31 December 1984) and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (from 30 September 1971 to 10 January 1973). By profession, he was a lawyer, activist and poet. He became the first Prime Minister of India holding this office from non-Hindi-speaking south India. He was famous as “Father of Indian Economic Reforms” and Chanakya.

He was born in a Telugu Brahmin Family on 28th of June in 1921 Karimnagar, Hyderabad State, (now in Telangana, India). He did his BA degree from Osmania University and Master’s degree in law from Hislop College (now under Nagpur University). He died on 23rd of December in 2004 at the age of 83 in All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi, India because of heart attack.

 

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Office Term: 16 May 1996 to 1 June 1996

Political Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Constituency: MP for Lucknow

Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the Prime Minister of India for few days only and served the country from 16 May 1996 to 1 June 1996 (13 days). He also served the country as Minister of External Affairs from 26 March 1977 to 28 July 1979. By Profession, he is a poet, journalist and political activist. He has been awarded with the Bharat Ratna by the President of India at his residence on 27th of March in 2015. he has also been awarded with the Padma Vibhushan (in 1992), Lokmanya Tilak Award (in 1994), Best Parliamentarian Award (in 1994), etc. His birthday (25th of December) has been announced as “Good Governance Day” to be celebrated every year.

He was born in a middle-class Brahmin family on 25th of December in 1924 at the age of 90 in Gwalior State. He did his M.A. Degree in Political Science from Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College, Kanpur. He resigned after 13 days in the lack of enough support from other parties and getting a majority.

 

H. D. Deve Gowda

H. D. Deve Gowda

Office Term: 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997

Political Party: Janata Dal

Constituency: MP (Rajya Sabha) for Karnataka

Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda became the 11th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997 (for 324 days). He also served the country from Minister of Home Affairs (from 1 June 1996 to 29 June 1996) and 14th Chief Minister of Karnataka (from 11 December 1994 to 31 May 1996).

He was born in a Vokkaliga caste family (Other Backward Class) on 18th of May in 1933 in Haradanahalli, Mysore State, British India (now in Karnataka, India). He did Diploma in Civil Engineering from the Smt. L.V. Polytechnic, Hassan, Karnataka. By profession, he is an agriculturist, farmer, social worker, and politician. He entered to the politics by joining the Indian National Congress party in 1953.

 

I. K. Gujral

I. K. Gujral

Office Term: 21 April 1997 to 19 March 1998

Political Party: Janata Dal

Constituency: MP (Rajya Sabha) for Bihar

Inder Kumar Gujral was the 12th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 21 April 1997 to 19 March 1998 (for 332 days only). He also served the country as Minister of Finance (from 21 April 1997 to 1 May 1997) and Minister of External Affairs (from 1 June 1996 to 19 March 1998 and 5 December 1989 to 10 November 1990). He became the 3rd PM of India from the Rajya Sabha (first was Indira Gandhi and second was H.D. Deve Gowda).

He was born on 4th of December in 1919 in Jhelum, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab, Pakistan). He completed his study from the Hailey College of Commerce and Forman Christian College University, Lahore. He came to the politics in 1958 by being selected as vice-president of the New Delhi Municipal Committee and then joined the Congress party in 1964. He died on 30th of November in 2012 at the age of 92 in Gurgaon, Haryana, India because of the serious chest infection.

 

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Office Term: 19 March 1998 to 22 May 2004

Political Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Constituency: MP for Lucknow

Atal Bihari Vajpayee again became the 13th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 19 March 1998 to 22 May 2004 (for 6 years, 64 days). He was a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (also called BJP). He became the first Prime Minister of India from outside the Indian National Congress party who served the country for a full five-year term.

 

Manmohan Singh

Manmohan Singh

Office Term: 22 May 2004 to 26 May 2014

Political Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: MP (Rajya Sabha) for Assam

Manmohan Singh became the 14th Prime Minister of India and served the country from 22 May 2004 to 26 May 2014 (for long term of 10 years, 4 days). He also served the country as Minister of Finance (from 21 June 1991 to 16 May 1996), Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (from 21 March 1998 to 21 May 2004), Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (from 15 January 1985 to 31 August 1987), Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (from 15 September 1982 to 15 January 1985) and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) (Incumbent – Assumed office in 1991). He became the first Sikh PM of India as well as first prime minister after the Jawaharlal Nehru who was re-elected second time after completing the full five-year term. By profession, he is an economist and civil servant.

He was born in a Sikh family on 26th of September in 1932 in Gah, Punjab, British India. He did his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Economics in 1952 and 1954 respectively from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He also completed Economics Tripos from the University of Cambridge and D.Phil from the University of Oxford. He has been awarded with the Padma Vibhushan award in 1987 by the President of India.

 

Narendra Modi

Narendra Modi

Office Term: 26 May 2014 to Incumbent

Political Party: Bharatiya Janata Party

Constituency: MP for Varanasi

Narendra Modi (Narendra Damodardas Modi) is the 15th and current Prime Minister of India and serving the country from 26th of May 2014 to incumbent. He is a leader of the BJP and has served the country as the 14th Chief Minister of Gujarat (from 7 October 2001 to 22 May 2014), Member of the Indian Parliament for Varanasi (incumbent and assumed office on 16 May 2014) and Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for Maninagar (from 1 January 2002 to 16 May 2014).

He was born on 17th of September in 1950 in Vadnagar, Mehsana district, Bombay State, India (present day Gujarat). He came to the politics through RSS in 1985 and elected as the organizing secretary of party’s Gujarat unit in 1988.