Full List Of Prime Ministers Of India (1947-2022): Jawaharlal Nehru To Narendra Modi
The Prime Minister of India is the most powerful person in the country. He or she must be a citizen of India and a Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha member. It is important to note that although the authority to choose the Prime Minister is given to the President, he or she cannot simply pick anyone as the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister of India is traditionally appointed by the President and is usually the leader of the political party that has the most representatives in Parliament (Lok Sabha).
There is no set term for the Prime Minister; rather, he serves at the President's pleasure. As long as he retains the confidence of a simple majority in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister is immune from removal by the President. In the event that the Lok Sabha votes to remove the Prime Minister, he must resign or be removed by the President. Also, the parliament sets the Prime Minister's salary and benefits on an ad hoc basis.
The incumbent Prime Minister is Mr. Narendra Modi, who has done a lot of monumental work since his tenure started. In this post, we will be looking at the full list of Prime Ministers of India since independence, and also learn about some of the powers of the Prime Minister.
Full List of Indian Prime Ministers (1947-2022)
| S.No. | Name | Born-Dead | Period | Remark |
| 1 | Jawaharlal Nehru | (1889–1964) | 15th August 1947 to 27th May 1964 | The first prime minister of India and the longest-serving PM of India, and the first to die in office. |
| 16 years, 286 days | ||||
| 2 | Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting) | (1898-1998) | 27th May 1964 to 9th June 1964, | First acting PM of India |
| 13 days | ||||
| 3 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | (1904–1966) | 9th June 1964 to 11th January 1966 | He has given the slogan of ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ during the Indo-Pak war of 1965 |
| 1 year, 216 days | ||||
| 4 | Gulzari Lal Nanda (Acting) | (1898-1998) | 11th January 1966 to 24th January 1966 | – |
| 13 days | ||||
| 5 | Indira Gandhi | (1917–1984) | 24th January 1966 to 24th March 1977 | First female Prime Minister of India |
| 11 years, 59 days | ||||
| 6 | Morarji Desai | (1896–1995) | 24th March 1977 to 28th July 1979 | Oldest to become PM (81 years old) and first to resign from office |
| 2 year, 126 days | ||||
| 7 | Charan Singh | (1902–1987) | 28th July 1979 to 14th January 1980 | Only PM who did not face the Parliament |
| 170 days | ||||
| 8 | Indira Gandhi | (1917–1984) | 14th January 1980 to 31st October 1984 | The first lady who served as PM for the second term |
| 4 years, 291 days | ||||
| 9 | Rajiv Gandhi | (1944–1991) | 31st October 1984 to 2nd December 1989 | Youngest to become PM (40 years old) |
| 5 years, 32 days | ||||
| 10 | V. P. Singh | (1931–2008) | 2nd December 1989 to 10th November 1990 | First PM to step down after a vote of no confidence |
| 343 days | ||||
| 11 | Chandra Shekhar | (1927–2007) | 10th November 1990 to 21st June 1991 | He belongs to Samajwadi Janata Party |
| 223 days | ||||
| 12 | P. V. Narasimha Rao | (1921–2004) | 21st June 1991 to 16th May 1996 | First PM from south India |
| 4 years, 330 days | ||||
| 13 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | (1924- 2018) | 16th May 1996 to 1st June 1996 | PM for shortest tenure |
| 16 days | ||||
| 14 | H. D. Deve Gowda | (born 1933) | 1st June 1996 to 21st April 1997 | He belongs to Janata Dal |
| 324 days | ||||
| 15 | Inder Kumar Gujral | (1919–2012) | 21st April 1997 to 19th March 1998 | —— |
| 332 days | ||||
| 16 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | (1924-2018) | 19th March 1998 to 22nd May 2004 | The first non-congress PM who completed a full term as PM |
| 6 years, 64 days | ||||
| 17 | Manmohan Singh | (born 1932) | 22nd May 2004 to 26th May 2014 | First Sikh PM |
| 10 years, 4 days | ||||
| 18 | Narendra Modi | (born 1950) | 26th May 2014 – Present | 4th Prime Minister of India who served two consecutive tenures |
Oaths taken by the Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister has to take many oaths during his official oath-taking ceremony. Some of them are:
To have complete faith in and allegiance to the Indian Constitution.
To preserve India's independence and territorial integrity.
To act with integrity and honesty in all of his official capacities.
To treat all people with dignity and respect, free from bias, intimidation, or ill will, and in accordance with the law and the Constitution.
Under his oath of secrecy, the Prime Minister promises that he will not reveal any information that has come to his attention in his capacity as Union Minister unless doing so is absolutely necessary.
Powers and Responsibilities of the Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister is the de facto head of government and chairs Cabinet meetings. In the event of a serious split in opinion, he will have the final say.
The prime minister represents the country at important international conferences.
The Prime Minister of India acts as a liaison between the President and his or her cabinet.
He forwards all Cabinet decisions on Union affairs management and legislative proposals to the President.
The Prime Minister is in charge of numerous government agencies, including the Nuclear Command Authority, NITI Aayog, the Cabinet Appointments Committee, the Department of Atomic Energy, the Department of Space, and the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.
He serves as the President’s top adviser.
The Indian Prime Minister sets the schedule and priorities for the Parliamentary Session.
He also has the authority to prorogue or dissolve the House of Representatives.
He is in charge of making public policy announcements and fielding media inquiries for the government.
The PM advises the President on the consultation of many officers, distributes and reorganizes budgetary resources among Ministers, and chairs Cabinet of Ministers meetings, where he or she exerts influence over policy decisions.
The Prime Minister may request the resignation of any representative or make a recommendation to the President to dismiss any minister.
Some more facts about the Prime Ministers of India
| Two times as acting Prime Minister | Gulzari Lal Nanda |
| The Bharat Ratna was awarded to the first Female Prime Minister | Indira Gandhi |
| First Prime Minister of India who was not a member of the Congress | Morarji Desai |
| The highest civilian honor in Pakistan was given to the Indian Prime Minister | Morarji Desai |
| India’s youngest Prime Minister | Rajiv Gandhi |
| First South Indian Prime Minister | P.V. Narasimha Rao |
| First Prime Minister of India, was a member of the Rajya Sabha | Indira Gandhi |
FAQs about the Prime Ministers of Indi
Who was the longest-serving Prime Minister of India?
Jawaharlal Nehru was the longest-serving Prime Minister of India.
Who was India’s second-longest-serving Prime Minister?
Indira Gandhi was the second-longest-serving Prime Minister