After Jawaharlal Nehru, Narendra Modi is the second PM to win three consecutive times.
The Prime Minister of India serves as the country’s chief executive, commanding the Council of Ministers and overseeing the central government. Although the President is the head of state in a formal capacity, the Prime Minister exercises executive authority. India has seen 15 Prime Ministers since gaining independence in 1947.
Let’s take a look at his tenure, achievements and contributions:
Jawaharlal Nehru (15 August 1947 – 27 May 1964)
India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru served for 17 years, the longest tenure ever. Mr. Nehru was affectionately known as “Chacha Nehru” among children and his birthday, 14 November, is celebrated as Children’s Day throughout the country.
Jawaharlal Nehru is widely considered one of the leading architects of modern India. He was instrumental in establishing some of the country’s most prestigious institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
He oversaw the preparation of the blueprint for the first five-year plan. In agriculture, his government initiated important irrigation projects and laid the foundation for reforms that later contributed to the Green Revolution.
Gulzarilal Nanda (May 27, 1964 – June 9, 1964 | January 11, 1966 – January 24, 1966)
Gulzarilal Nanda, the second Prime Minister of India, held office for two brief terms as interim leader. His tenure in the PM office lasted less than a month. Despite the short duration, his contribution was significant during a period marked by political instability following the India–China War in 1962 and the India–Pakistan War in 1965. Shri Nanda played an important role in organizing the Indian National Trade Union Congress. His dedication to public service was recognized in 1997 when he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.
Lal Bahadur Shastri (9 June, 1964 – 11 January, 1966)
Lal Bahadur Shastri, the third Prime Minister of India, championed the White and Green Revolution, which transformed India’s agricultural landscape and improved food security. Shri Shastri’s leadership was crucial during the India-Pakistan War of 1965, which resulted in a significant victory for India. His iconic slogan, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” resonated deeply among the masses, uniting soldiers and farmers and highlighting their essential roles in the country’s progress. Under his guidance, the dairy industry flourished, setting the stage for Operation Flood in 1970, which revolutionized milk production in India. Lal Bahadur Shastri maintained strong international ties, exemplified by the signing of the Tashkent Agreement.
Indira Gandhi (January 24, 1966 – March 24, 1977 | January 14, 1980 – October 31, 1984)
Indira Gandhi was the first and only female Prime Minister of India. His leadership played a key role during the 1971 war against Pakistan, which ultimately led to the creation of Bangladesh. Among her major achievements, Ms Gandhi nationalized banks. He focused on reducing unemployment and introduced policies to promote gender equality in the workforce, including equal pay for men and women. His tenure strengthened both international and domestic policies. He also oversaw the integration of Sikkim into the Indian state in 1975.
Morarji Desai (24 March 1977 – 28 July 1979)
Morarji Desai was the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. One of his notable achievements was the enactment of the 44th Amendment to the Constitution of India, which aimed to strengthen democratic rights and protect civil liberties. He implemented bold economic measures including the ban on high value currency notes of Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 on January 16, 1978, to eliminate black money. He also supported peace activism, initiating dialogue with Pakistan to ensure stability in the region. Morarji Desai died at the age of 99 and had the distinction of being the world’s oldest former head of government.
Chaudhary Charan Singh (28 July, 1979 – 14 January, 1980)
Chaudhary Charan Singh was the Prime Minister of India for 170 days. During his tenure, he focused on improving the condition of farmers and advocating agrarian reform. Known as the champion of the farming community, his birth anniversary, 23 December, is celebrated as Farmers’ Day.
Rajiv Gandhi (31 October, 1984 – 2 December, 1989)
Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi, was the youngest Prime Minister of India. He played an important role in bringing significant advancements in science and technology and laying the foundation for the growing IT sector of the country. Recognizing the importance of education, Rajiv Gandhi implemented major reforms, transforming higher education in the country and making it more accessible and modern. Coming from the influential Gandhi-Nehru family, he entered politics after the death of his brother Sanjay Gandhi. His leadership marked a major change in the economic landscape of India. He worked to reduce the license raj, ensuring a more business-friendly environment.
VP Singh (December 2, 1989 – November 10, 1990)
Vishwanath Pratap Singh, also known as VP Singh, served as Prime Minister for 11 months. He made significant contributions to social justice by implementing the Mandal Commission report, which recommended reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government jobs and educational institutions. He also oversaw the passage of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act of 1989. Mr Singh managed domestic controversies, particularly addressing the kidnapping of his Home Minister’s daughter. His leadership was crucial in dealing with tensions with Pakistan, successfully thwarting attempts to instigate border conflict. He moved to apologize for Operation Blue Star, acknowledging its impact on communal relations. VP Singh’s efforts to curb insurgency in Punjab reflected his commitment towards restoring peace and stability in the region.
Chandra Shekhar (November 10, 1990 – June 21, 1991)
Chandrashekhar served as Prime Minister for just over seven months. He has the distinction of being the first Prime Minister to lead a coalition government at the Centre. One of his achievements was his role in preventing India from defaulting on sovereign repayments, ensuring the financial stability of the country during a challenging economic period.
PV Narasimha Rao (June 21, 1991 – May 16, 1996)
PV Narasimha Rao served as the Prime Minister of India for one term, during which he led transformative economic reforms. During his tenure there was a transition from mixed economy to market economy. One of his most significant achievements was managing India’s economic crisis in 1991. He abolished the License Raj, eliminating restrictive regulations that hindered trade and innovation. Under his leadership, India opened its equity markets to foreign investment.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (May 16, 1996 – June 1, 1996 | March 19, 1998 – April 29, 1999 | October 3, 1999 – May 10, 2004)
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is one of India’s most recognized political leaders, having served as Prime Minister for 13 days in 1996 and for two terms from 1998 to 2004. During his tenure, Mr Vajpayee oversaw the successful military operation Operation Vijay during the Kargil War. Against Pakistan. He played a major role in making India a nuclear power by overseeing the successful Pokhran II nuclear tests. Atal Bihari Vajpayee also supported economic reforms by encouraging private sector participation and foreign investment. His administration started the National Highway Development Project. He implemented the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which aimed to achieve universal primary education for children throughout India.
HD Deve Gowda (June 1, 1996 – April 21, 1997)
Hardanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda served as PM for just under a year. He focused on the problems faced by the farmers of the country at that time. One of his notable achievements was launching the Delhi Metro project, which revolutionized urban transportation in the national capital.
Inder Kumar Gujral (April 21, 1997 – March 19, 1998)
Inder Kumar Gujral also served as PM for just less than a year. One of his major achievements was the propounding of the Gujral Doctrine, a major approach in India’s foreign policy that emphasized building strong relations with neighboring countries through cooperation and goodwill rather than coercion. This doctrine marked a major change in India’s diplomatic strategy, ensuring better relations with the countries of South Asia.
Manmohan Singh (22 May 2004 – 26 May 2014)
Dr. Manmohan Singh served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, a period marked by significant economic and social reforms. He is credited with implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) and the Right to Information Act. As a renowned economist and former Finance Minister, Dr. Singh led India to the highest GDP growth rate since independence, making it the world’s second fastest growing economy during his tenure. He also launched the National Rural Health Mission to improve access to health care in rural areas. His administration also strengthened India’s global position through improved diplomatic relations, exemplified by the landmark civil nuclear agreement with the United States.
Narendra Modi (26 May 2014 – present)
After Jawaharlal Nehru, Narendra Modi is the second PM to win three consecutive times. He has taken many major initiatives like Swachh Bharat, Make in India and Digital India in the last 11 years. One of his major achievements is the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, a reform to streamline the taxation system and increase the ease of doing business across the country.
PM Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Yojana, which includes various welfare schemes aimed at upliftment of the economically deprived. He has also supported the nationwide cleanliness campaign, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. PM Modi launched the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme in January 2015, which addresses the falling child sex ratio and promotes women empowerment across their entire life cycle.
His list of achievements includes the abrogation of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the new law on triple talaq and reforms in the criminal justice system with the implementation of three new criminal laws.
Under the leadership of PM Modi, India has gained prominence as a global player with strong ties with world powers. During PM Modi’s tenure, India held the G20 presidency for the first time and hosted the G20 summit in September 2023. India also became the fifth largest economy in the world.
