IN PHOTOS: A look at India’s Prime Ministers from 1947 to 2024

Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024, let's take a look at the Prime Ministers the country has had from 1947 to 2024 

Updated On: 2024-03-21 08:08 PM IST

Compiled by : Editor

Lok Sabha polls will be held from April 19 to June 1 in seven phases as announced by the ECI. Photo Courtesy: AFP

Jawahar Lal Nehru (15 August 1947 to 27 May 1964, 16 years): The first prime minister of India, Nehru is the longest-serving prime minister of India.  He is also the first to have passed away when in office. 

Gulzarilal Nanda ( 27 May 1964 to 9 June 1964, 13 days): He was the first acting PM of India. An acting prime minister is appointed when a prime minister in office either dies or resigns.  

Lal Bahadur Shastri (9 June 1964 to 11 January 1966, 1 year): Shastri (left) gave the slogan of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' during the Indo-Pak war of 1965. 

Gulzari Lal Nanda  (Acting - 11 January 1966 to 24 January 1966, 13 days): He was the acting or interim PM for two 13-day tenures following the deaths of not just Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964 but also Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966.

Indira Gandhi (24 January 1966 to 24 March 1977, 11 years): She was the first female Prime Minister of India. 

Morarji Desai (24 March 1977 to  28 July 1979, 2 years): He was the oldest to become the PM at the age of 81 and was also the first to resign from office. 

Charan Singh (28 July 1979 to 14 January 1980, 170 days): He is the only PM who did not face the Parliament. Despite the short span of her tenure, Singh made significant contributions to Indian politics, particularly in the agricultural sector and rural policies.

Indira Gandhi (14 January 1980 to 31 October 1984, 4 years):  Gandhi also became the first Indian female who served as PM for the second term

Rajiv Gandhi (31 October 1984 to 2 December 1989, 5 years): He is known to be the youngest PM of India. Gandhi was sworn in at the age of 40.  

V. P. Singh (2 December 1989 to 10 November 1990, 343 days): He became the first PM to step down after a vote of no confidence. 

Chandra Shekhar (10 November 1990 to 21 June 1991, 223 days): Belonging to the Samajwadi Janata Party, after Chaudhary Charan Singh, Chandra Shekhar (left) is the second PM to be elected for such a short period.

P. V. Narasimha Rao (21 June 1991 to 16 May 1996, 4 years): India got its first PM from South India when P. V. Narasimha Rao swore to serve the country.  He is known for introducing several liberal reforms into the Indian economy. 

Atal Bihari Vajpayee (16 May 1996 to 1 June 1996, 16 days): He served three terms as the country’s PM, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months from 1998 to 1999, followed by a full term from 1999 to 2004. He is also the first non-Congress prime minister to serve a full term in office.

H. D. Deve Gowda (1 June 1996 to 21 April 1997, 324 days): He belongs to the Janata Dal and acted as the country’s eleventh prime minister.  

Inder Kumar Gujral (21 April 1997 to 19 March 1998, 332 days): He was the second prime minister to govern exclusively from the Rajya Sabha. 

Manmohan Singh (22 May 2004 to 26 May 2014, 10 years): He became the first Sikh PM of India. He was the third longest-serving prime minister after Nehru and Indira Gandhi. 

Narendra Modi (26 May 2014 - 2024):  He is the fourth Prime Minister of India and the first non-congress PM to serve for two consecutive tenures. 

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