List of Presidents of India from 1950 to 2024
This article presents a list of Presidents of India from 1950 to 2024, including Interim President and Acting Presidents.
India i.e. Bharat became a Republic State on 26 January 1950. A Republic State is a state in which the political power rests with the public and their representatives. India is a republic. This means that the political power of the state is not a monarchy (like Kings or Queens) or dictatorship or rests with a hereditary family. The political power rests with the President who is representative of the public either directly or indirectly.
On 9 December 1946, the Constituent Assembly met for the first time and in this meeting, Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was elected as the provisional president of the Constituent Assembly. Three days later, on 11 December 1946, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and H. C. Mukherjee were elected as the President and Vice-President, respectively, of the Constituent Assembly.
The Constitution of India was formed and ratified on 26 November 1949. On 24 January 1950, the penultimate day of the last session of the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was unanimously elected as provisional or the interim President of India. He formally took the office of the President of India on 26 January 1950, the day when the full provisions of the Constitution came into effect.
Table of Contents
- 1 Interim President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- 2 1st President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- 3 2nd President: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
- 4 3rd President: Dr. Zakir Husain
- 5 Acting President: Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri
- 6 Acting President: Justice M. Hidayatullah
- 7 4th President: Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri
- 8 5th President: Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
- 9 Acting President: Shri Basappa Danappa Jatti
- 10 6th President: Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- 11 7th President: Giani Zail Singh
- 12 8th President: Shri R. Venkataraman
- 13 9th President: Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
- 14 10th President: Shri K.R. Narayanan
- 15 11th President: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
- 16 12th President: Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil
- 17 13th President: Shri Pranab Mukherjee
- 18 14th President: Shri Ram Nath Kovind
- 19 15th President: Smt. Droupadi Murmu
Interim President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Period: From 26 January 1950 to 13 May 1952
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the President of the Constituent Assembly.
- He was elected unopposed as the Interim President by the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950.
- He continued as the Interim President of India until the election for the post of President was held for the first time in May 1952.
1st President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Period: From 13 May 1952 to 13 May 1957 (First Term);
From 13 May 1957 to 13 May 1962 (Second Term)
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- He was the first President of India.
- He is the only person to serve two terms as President of India.
- He was the longest-serving President of India.
- He was President of India from 26 January 1950 to 13 May 1962 for 12 years and 107 days.
- He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1962.
2nd President: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Period: From 13 May 1962 to 13 May 1967
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
- He was born on September 5, 1888.
- His birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s Day in India.
- He was the first Vice-President of India.
- He was the first person to hold the office of Vice-President and President.
- He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1954.
3rd President: Dr. Zakir Husain
Period: From 13 May 1967 to 3 May 1969
Dr. Zakir Husain
- He was the first Muslim President of India.
- He died in office on 3 May 1969. Thus, he was the first President to die while in office.
- His tenure is the shortest as President of India.
Acting President: Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri
Period: From 3 May 1969 to 20 July 1969
Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri
- After the death of President Dr. Zakir Husain, Vice-President Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri became acting President.
- He resigned to contest the Presidential elections.
Acting President: Justice M. Hidayatullah
Period: From 20 July 1969 to 24 August 1969
Justice M. Hidayatullah
- After the resignation of acting President Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri, Justice M. Hidayatullah took the charge as acting President.
- Justice M. Hidayatullah was the Chief Justice of India.
4th President: Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri
Period: From 24 August 1969 to 24 August 1974
Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri
- He is the only person who served as Acting President and President.
- He contested the Presidential elections as an independent candidate.
- He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1975.
5th President: Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
Period: From 24 August 1974 to 11 February 1977
Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
- He died in office on 11 February 1977. He was the second President to die while in office.
Acting President: Shri Basappa Danappa Jatti
Period: From 11 February 1977 to 25 July 1977
Shri Basappa Danappa Jatti
- After the death of President Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Shri Basappa Danappa Jatti took the charge as acting President.
6th President: Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Period: From 25 July 1977 to 25 July 1982
Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- He was the youngest person to serve as President.
- He contested the Presidential elections twice. The first time against Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri in 1969 but lost.
- The second time in 1977, he was elected unopposed. He is the only President who has been elected unopposed.
7th President: Giani Zail Singh
Period: From 25 July 1982 to 25 July 1987
Giani Zail Singh
- He was the first person from Sikh religion to serve as President.
- He was the first President to use Pocket Veto on the Indian Post Office Bill.
- President Zail Singh went to the U.S. for medical treatment, and Vice-President M. Hidayatullah officiated as president from October 6, 1982, to October 31, 1982. Thus, M. Hidayatullah officiated as acting president twice.
8th President: Shri R. Venkataraman
Period: From 25 July 1987 to 25 July 1992
Shri R. Venkataraman
9th President: Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
Period: From 25 July 1992 to 25 July 1997
Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
10th President: Shri K.R. Narayanan
Period: From 25 July 1997 to 25 July 2002
Shri K.R. Narayanan
- He was the first person from Scheduled Caste category to serve as President.
11th President: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Period: From 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
- He was popularly known as the “Missile Man of India”.
- He was the first scientist to serve as President.
- He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1997.
12th President: Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil
Period: From 25 July 2007 to 25 July 2012
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil
- She is the first female to serve as President.
13th President: Shri Pranab Mukherjee
Period: From 25 July 2012 to 25 July 2017
Shri Pranab Mukherjee
14th President: Shri Ram Nath Kovind
Period: From 25 July 2017 to 25 July 2022
Shri Ram Nath Kovind
- He is the second person from Scheduled Caste category to serve as President.
15th President: Smt. Droupadi Murmu
Period: From 25 July 2022 – Serving
Smt. Droupadi Murmu
- She is the second female to serve as President.
- She is the first person from Scheduled Tribe category to serve as President.
Written By: Brijesh Singh