India has had a total of 17 Prime Ministers since its independence in 1947. Each Prime Minister has played a significant role in shaping the country’s political and economic landscape. From Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, to the current incumbent Narendra Modi, the country has seen leaders from various political backgrounds and ideologies. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of India and serves as the head of the government, responsible for leading the country’s administrative and legislative efforts.
[Table] All Prime Minister of India since Independence
This table provides a comprehensive overview of all Prime Ministers of India, including their tenure, political party affiliation, awards, and important facts about their terms in office.
| Prime Minister | Constituency | DOB | DOD | Date of Appointment | Time in Office | Appointed by | Political Party | Awards | Important Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jawaharlal Nehru | Phulpur | 1889-11-14 | 1964-05-27 | 1947-08-15 | 1947-1964 | Rajendra Prasad | Indian National Congress | Bharat Ratna | India’s first Prime Minister |
| Lal Bahadur Shastri | Phulpur | 1904-10-02 | 1966-01-11 | 1964-06-09 | 1964-1966 | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | Indian National Congress | Bharat Ratna | Coined the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” |
| Indira Gandhi | Rae Bareli | 1917-11-19 | 1984-10-31 | 1966-01-24 | 1966-1977, 1980-1984 | Zakir Hussain | Indian National Congress | Bharat Ratna | First female Prime Minister of India |
| Morarji Desai | Surat | 1896-02-29 | 1995-04-10 | 1977-03-24 | 1977-1979 | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | Janata Party | Bharat Ratna, Nishan-e-Pakistan | First non-Congress Prime Minister of India |
| Charan Singh | Baghpat | 1902-12-23 | 1987-05-29 | 1979-07-28 | 1979-1980 | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | Janata Party | Padma Vibhushan | Only Prime Minister from the Jat community |
| Rajiv Gandhi | Amethi | 1944-08-20 | 1991-05-21 | 1984-10-31 | 1984-1989 | Zail Singh | Indian National Congress | Bharat Ratna | Youngest Prime Minister of India at the age of 40 |
| V. P. Singh | Ghazipur | 1931-06-25 | 2008-11-27 | 1989-12-02 | 1989-1990 | R. Venkataraman | Janata Dal | Padma Vibhushan | Implemented the Mandal Commission report |
| Chandra Shekhar | Ballia | 1927-07-01 | 2007-07-07 | 1990-11-10 | 1990-1991 | Ramaswamy Venkataraman | Samajwadi Janata Party | Padma Vibhushan | Shortest serving Prime Minister of India |
| P. V. Narasimha Rao | Nandyal | 1921-06-28 | 2004-12-23 | 1991-06-21 | 1991-1996 | R. Venkataraman | Indian National Congress | Padma Vibhushan | Started the economic liberalization in India |
| Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Lucknow | 1924-12-25 | 2018-08-16 | 1996-05-16, 1998-03-19, 1999-10-13 | 1996-2004 | K. R. Narayanan | Bharatiya Janata Party | Bharat Ratna | Only Prime Minister who has served 3 non-consecutive terms |
| H. D. Deve Gowda | Hassan | 1933-05-18 | — | 1996-06-01 | 1996-1997 | Shankar Dayal Sharma | Janata Dal | Padma Vibhushan | First Prime Minister from the Janata Dal party |
| I. K. Gujral | Kapurthala | 1919-12-04 | 2012-11-30 | 1997-04-21 | 1997-1998 | Shankar Dayal Sharma | Janata Dal | Padma Vibhushan | Proposed the “Gujral Doctrine” in foreign policy |
| Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Lucknow | 1924-12-25 | 2018-08-16 | 1998-03-19 | 1998-2004 | K. R. Narayanan | Bharatiya Janata Party | Bharat Ratna | Declared India as a nuclear state after conducting nuclear tests in 1998 |
| Manmohan Singh | South Delhi | 1932-09-26 | — | 2004-05-22 | 2004-2014 | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Indian National Congress | Bharat Ratna | First Sikh Prime Minister of India |
| Narendra Modi | Varanasi | 1950-09-17 | — | 2014-05-26 | 2014-Incumbent | Pranab Mukherjee | Bharatiya Janata Party | Philip Kotler Presidential Award, Seoul Peace Prize | Implemented several key reforms including Demonetization and GST |
List of All Prime Minister of India
This list provides a comprehensive overview of all Prime Ministers of India, including their tenure, political party affiliation, awards, and important facts about their terms in office.
Jawaharlal Nehru
- Constituency: Phulpur
- Date of Birth: 1889-11-14
- Date of Death: 1964-05-27
- Date of Office: 1947-08-15 to 1964-05-27
- Appointed by: Rajendra Prasad
- Political Party: Indian National Congress
- Term: 1st
- Time in Office: 1947-1964
- Awards: Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: First Prime Minister of India, played a key role in India’s freedom struggle and guided the country towards a democratic and secular path.
Lal Bahadur Shastri
- Constituency: Allahabad
- Date of Birth: 1904-10-02
- Date of Death: 1966-01-11
- Date of Office: 1964-06-09 to 1966-01-11
- Appointed by: S. Radhakrishnan
- Political Party: Indian National Congress
- Term: 2nd
- Time in Office: 1964-1966
- Awards: Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: Popularized the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan”, played a major role in India’s victory over Pakistan in 1965 war.
Indira Gandhi
- Constituency: Rae Bareli
- Date of Birth: 1917-11-19
- Date of Death: 1984-10-31
- Date of Office: 1966-01-24 to 1977-03-24, 1980-01-14 to 1984-10-31
- Appointed by: Zakir Hussain, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
- Political Party: Indian National Congress
- Term: 3rd, 4th
- Time in Office: 1966-1977, 1980-1984
- Awards: Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: Only woman Prime Minister of India, declared a state of emergency in 1975, assassinated in 1984.
Morarji Desai
- Constituency: Surat
- Date of Birth: 1896-02-29
- Date of Death: 1995-04-10
- Date of Office: 1977-03-24 to 1979-07-28
- Appointed by: Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- Political Party: Janata Party
- Term: 5th
- Time in Office: 1977-1979
- Awards: Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: First Prime Minister from the Janata Party, imposed ban on cow slaughter in India.
Charan Singh
- Constituency: Baghpat
- Date of Birth: 1902-12-23
- Date of Death: 1987-05-29
- Date of Office: 1979-07-28 to 1979-07-14
- Appointed by: Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- Political Party: Bharatiya Lok Dal
- Term: 6th
- Time in Office: 1979
- Awards: —
- Important Facts: Only Prime Minister who has never faced the Lok Sabha, resigned after losing a vote of confidence.
Rajiv Gandhi
- Constituency: Amethi
- Date of Birth: 1944-08-20
- Date of Death: 1991-05-21
- Date of Office: 1984-10-31 to 1989-12-02
- Appointed by: Zail Singh
- Political Party: Indian National Congress
- Term: 7th
- Time in Office: 1984-1989
- Awards: Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: Youngest Prime Minister of India, implemented several reforms in the fields of technology, education, and industry, assassinated in 1991.
V.P. Singh
- Constituency: Allahabad
- Date of Birth: 1931-06-25
- Date of Death: 2008-11-27
- Date of Office: 1989-12-02 to 1990-11-10
- Appointed by: R. Venkataraman
- Political Party: Janata Dal
- Term: 8th
- Time in Office: 1989-1990
- Awards: Padma Vibhushan
- Important Facts: Implemented the Mandal Commission Report, which reserved 27% of government jobs for the OBCs, resigned after losing a vote of confidence.
Chandra Shekhar
- Constituency: Ballia
- Date of Birth: 1927-07-01
- Date of Death: 2007-07-08
- Date of Office: 1990-11-10 to 1991-06-21
- Appointed by: R. Venkataraman
- Political Party: Samajwadi Janata Party
- Term: 9th
- Time in Office: 1990-1991
- Awards: Padma Vibhushan
- Important Facts: First Prime Minister who did not belong to either the Indian National Congress or the Bhartiya Janta Party, resigned after losing support of the Indian National Congress.
P.V. Narasimha Rao
- Constituency: Nandyal
- Date of Birth: 1921-06-28
- Date of Death: 2004-12-23
- Date of Office: 1991-06-21 to 1996-05-16
- Appointed by: Shankar Dayal Sharma
- Political Party: Indian National Congress
- Term: 10th
- Time in Office: 1991-1996
- Awards: Padma Vibhushan
- Important Facts: Implemented several economic reforms, known as the “Father of Indian Economic Reforms”, India’s first Prime Minister from the South.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- Constituency: Lucknow
- Date of Birth: 1924-12-25
- Date of Death: 2018-08-16
- Date of Office: 1996-05-16 to 1996-06-01, 1998-03-19 to 2004-05-22
- Appointed by: Shankar Dayal Sharma, K.R. Narayanan
- Political Party: Bharatiya Janata Party
- Term: 11th, 12th
- Time in Office: 1996-1996, 1998-2004
- Awards: Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: First non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term, made India a declared nuclear state, played a key role in improving relations with Pakistan.
H.D. Deve Gowda
- Constituency: Hassan
- Date of Birth: 1933-05-18
- Date of Death: N/A
- Date of Office: 1996-06-01 to 1997-04-21
- Appointed by: Shankar Dayal Sharma
- Political Party: Janata Dal
- Term: 13th
- Time in Office: 1996-1997
- Awards: Padma Vibhushan
- Important Facts: First Prime Minister from the state of Karnataka, was a former Chief Minister of the state, resigned due to lack of support from coalition partners.
I.K. Gujral
- Constituency: Kapurthala
- Date of Birth: 1919-12-04
- Date of Death: 2012-11-30
- Date of Office: 1997-04-21 to 1997-11-28
- Appointed by: Shankar Dayal Sharma
- Political Party: Janata Dal
- Term: 14th
- Time in Office: 1997-1997
- Awards: Padma Vibhushan
- Important Facts: Implemented the “Gujral Doctrine”, which emphasized on better relations with India’s neighbors, resigned after losing support of coalition partners.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- Constituency: Lucknow
- Date of Birth: 1924-12-25
- Date of Death: 2018-08-16
- Date of Office: 1998-03-19 to 2004-05-22
- Appointed by: K.R. Narayanan
- Political Party: Bharatiya Janata Party
- Term: 15th
- Time in Office: 1998-2004
- Awards: Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: First non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term, made India a declared nuclear state, played a key role in improving relations with Pakistan.
Manmohan Singh
- Constituency: Rajya Sabha
- Date of Birth: 1932-09-26
- Date of Death: N/A
- Date of Office: 2004-05-22 to 2014-05-26
- Appointed by: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
- Political Party: Indian National Congress
- Term: 16th
- Time in Office: 2004-2014
- Awards: Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna
- Important Facts: India’s first Prime Minister from the Sikh community, implemented several economic reforms, known as the architect of India’s economic liberalization.
Narendra Modi
- Constituency: Varanasi
- Date of Birth: 1950-09-17
- Date of Death: N/A
- Date of Office: 2014-05-26 to Incumbent
- Appointed by: Pranab Mukherjee
- Political Party: Bharatiya Janata Party
- Term: 17th
- Time in Office: 2014-Incumbent
- Awards: Padma Bhushan, Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud
- Important Facts: First Prime Minister born after India’s independence, launched several social and economic programs, including Make in India, Digital India, and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Note: The list is not exhaustive and may not be in a chronological order.
