General Knowledge Questions and Answers: India Prime Ministers Gallery

PRIME MINISTERS OF INDIA

PT. JAWAHARLAL NEHRU

The first Prime Minister of Independent India, also holds the record for continuously being in the office for the longest period (Aug. 15, 1947 to May 27, 1964) about 17 years, or 6,131 days - to be precise!

Born in Allahabad, November 14, 1889; died on May 27, 1964. A prolific writer ("Discovery of India") and a great orator, he was the co-founder of Non-Aligned Movement. Conferred Bharat Ratna (1955).

GULZARI LAL NANDA A

Gandhian to the core, was interim Prime Minister on two occasions - after the sudden demise of Pt. Nehru (from may 27, 1964 to June 9, 1964), for 14 days, and again after the sudden demise of Lal Bahadur Shastri (from January 11 to 24, 1966), again for a period of 14 days.

Born in Sialkot (now in Pakistan), July 4, 1898; died on January 15, 1998, as a centenarian. Was a leading light in the labour movement. Conferred Bharat Ratna (1997).

LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI

Though he came to power under the shadow cast of the ever-famous Pt. Nehru, he quickly won the hearts of all Indians, especially after routing Pakistan in the 1965 war. Indian still reverbrates with his slogan "Jai Jawan ! Jai Kisan !". He held office for 582 days, from June 9, 1964 to January 11, 1966.

Born in Moghalsarai (Varanasi), October 2, 1904; died in Tashkent (USSR) on January 11, 1966 , while negotiating peace talks with Pakistan. Conferred Bharat Ratna (posthumous, 1966).

INDIRA GANDHI

Proved her mettle as the chip of the old block; held office from Jan. 24, 1966 to March 24, 1977 and again |from Jan. 14 to Oct. 31,1984, for a total of 5,831 days, just 300 days short of her father, Pt. Nehru. Abolition of privy purse, nationalization of banks, birth of Bangladesh are some of her achievements.

Born in Allahabad, Nov. 19, 1917; died on Oct. 31,1984. Conferred Bharat Ratna in 1971.

MORARJI DESAI

The first non-congress Prime Minister since Independence, Morarji Desai headed the Janata Party Government for 857 days, from March 24, 1977 to July 28, 1979. He was one of those rare Gandhians. Born on 29th February, 1896, in Bahadesli Village, Gujarat; a centenarian, he passed away on April 10, 1995. Conferred Bharat Ratna in 1991.

CHARAN SINGH

A "kisan" Prime Minister from Uttar Pradesh, he never faced Parliament, even though he was in office for 171 days, from July 28, 1979 to Jan. 14, 1980. Within days of assuming office, one of the supporting parties withdrew its support, after which he continued as caretaker P.M , till fresh elections were held.

Born in Noorpur, Meerut Dist., U. P. on Dec.23, 1902; died in 1987.

RAJIV GANDHI

The youngest Prime Minister so far, this grand son of Pt. Nehru assumed office at the age of 41, the day his mother was assassinated (Oct. 31,1984). In the 1985 elections, he led his party to a big win and continued as P. M. till Dec. 1,1989, when his party lost the hustings.

Born in Bombay (Mumbai, now) on Aug. 20, 1944; died in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991, at the hands of a human bomb. Conferred Bharat Ratna (posthumous, 1991)

V.P. SINGH

Riding the wave of the Janata Dal, V. P. Singh became Prime Minister on Dec. 2,1989 and continued till Nov. 10, 1990 (344 days). He took a major decision in implementing the Mandal Commission recommendations.

Born in Allahabad on June 25, 1931.

CHANDRA SHEKHAR

The " Young Turk" became Prime Minister on Nov. 10,1990 and continued till June 21, 1991 (224 days).

Born in Village Ibrahimpatti in Ballia District, U P., on July 1, 1927.

P. V. NARASIMHA RAO

The first ever from South to hold this office, he ruled for full five years, from June 21, 1991 to May 10, 1996 (1, 785 days), despite a hung Parliament, initially.

A literature, Pamulaparti Venkata Narasimha Rao was born in Vangara, Karimnagar District, Andhra Pradesh, on June 28, 1921. He launched the Economic Liberalisation Programme.

A. B. VAJPAYEE

The first "bachelor" Prime Minister, he was at the helm for 16 days from May 16 to June 1, 1996, creating a record for the shortest stint in office.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born in Gwalior (M. P) on 25th December, 1926. A prolific writer and a great orator.

H D DEVE GOWDA

The second Government of the 11th Lok Sabha was headed by Haradanahalli Dodde Deve Gowda, who was in office from June 1, 1996 to April 21, 1997 (for roughly 11 months).

Deve Gowda was born on May 18, 1933, in Haradanahalli Village, Hassan District, Karnataka.

I. K. GUJRAL

Inder Kumar Gujral became Prime Minister on April 21, 1997. He resigned office on Nov. 28. 1997.

Gujral was born on December 4, 1919, in Jhelum (in the undivided Punjab, now in Pakistan).

A. B. VAJPAYEE

He assumed charge for the second time on March 19, 1998. He took the oath on October 13, 1999 after General Election. He submitted resignation on May 13, 2004.