Prime Ministers in India

Are you interested in the intriguing history of our country? India’s history is filled with great visionaries in power, amazing initiatives, and more. Prime minister is a position that is considered to be one of the most important in India. The reason why the prime minister is considered to be a significant person is because they are responsible for the country’s overall administration and future development. They represent the country in international organisations, delegations, etc., as the political leader of the government.

Every single prime minister has achieved numerous goals and helped with the development of our country. Starting with Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister, helped India gain independence. The current prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, has helped establish great foreign relationships. Prime ministers clearly play a crucial role in steering a country towards progress and prosperity. This article is more than just a list of prime minister of India. It examines how each leader shaped India’s political and social development.

Jawaharlal Nehru: The Visionary Leader  

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister of India. He left for England when he was fifteen. Nehru eventually received an Inner Temple Bar admissions letter. In 1912, he relocated back to India and immediately entered politics. After returning, he became a delegate for the 1912 Bankipore Congress and then the Secretary of the Home Rule League in 1919.

He organised the first Kisan March in the Pratapgarh District. He was also incarcerated twice during the Non-Cooperation Movement from 1920 to 1922. In 1926, the Congress adopted independence as one of its aims, which Nehru influenced. He signed the Nehru Report in 1928 on Indian Constitutional Reform. This organisation worked hard for India’s separation from the British Empire.

He played an important role in fighting for the country’s independence. However, his goals for India went beyond just independence. He focused on modernisation with the help of scientific and technical progress. His Five-Year Plans for improving infrastructure and increasing employment established him as India’s founding father.

Lal Bahadur Shastri: Leadership During Turbulent Times

Lal Bahadur Shastri was the second Prime Minister of India and served the country from 1964 to 1966. He managed to lead our country through very difficult times with ease. His time as prime minister of India is mostly remembered because of the 1965 war with Pakistan. The war formally ended in 1966 when the then-Soviet Union mediated an agreement in Tashkent.

After Pakistan attacked India, his slogan, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan,” was first mentioned in 1965 while he was giving a speech in Delhi. It translates to “Hail to the soldier, Hail to the farmer”. This slogan aimed to raise the morale and enthusiasm of soldiers to fight for our country and to inspire farmers to increase food production to help solve the food scarcity problem. He advocated for the Green Revolution in India in 1965 to increase food production. To promote this, he backed Amul milk in Gujarat. 

First Woman Prime Minister of India: The Iron Lady of India

India’s first female Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, had a lasting impression on the country’s history. She led India with flair and skill, facing difficult internal and international problems. She declared an Emergency in India every six months for a total of 21 months starting from June 25, 1975.  Throughout this period of emergency, she gave her absolute authority over the country’s political situation.

Indira Gandhi’s government played an important role in the Green Revolution. They introduced new hybrid seeds, subsidised farmers and provided them with water, electricity, and fertiliser. Between 1968 and 1973, the amount of institutional financing available for the agriculture industry was also increased. This was done to ensure food security in India. She also helped with the second phase of Indian Foreign policy from 1966 to 1989. She was known as the “Iron Lady of India” because of her great leadership during the 1971 war and her tough decisions.

Rajiv Gandhi: Youngest Prime Minister of India

Rajiv Gandhi, at the age of 40, became the youngest prime in India. He also became the president of the Congress. He was familiar with politics since childhood because he was the son of Indira Gandhi. During his early years, he lived with his grandparents at her official Teen Murti House residence. When he was young, he had no interest in politics. However, he got into politics after his brother passed away.

After the tragic assassination of his mother, he rose to power as the new prime minister. His main goal as prime minister was to help India advance technologically. His administration tried to modernise the country’s communication system and build the supporting infrastructure in cities and rural areas. Unfortunately, he was assassinated on May 21, 1991, by a suicide bombing. 

Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A Statesman and Orator

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the 10th prime minister of India. He was called a statesman because of his efforts to improve our country’s economy. His leadership style was aimed at avoiding conflict. He preferred finding common ground rather than confrontation.

In May 1998, the Indian nuclear tests held in Pokhran succeeded. During Vajpayee’s government, APJ Abdul Kalam oversaw the nuclear tests. Vajpayee had announced that India had conducted 3 underground nuclear tests at Pokhran. However, he also stated that they would follow the “No First Use” policy. He made it clear that nuclear weapons will never be deployed against a non-nuclear state. He also oversaw the Kargil war and the pursuit of peace with Pakistan.

Manmohan Singh: Economic Reforms and Global Diplomacy

Manmohan Singh was our country’s 13^th prime minister. His tenure was the third-longest in our history, lasting from 2004 to 2014. He took over India’s foreign policies after Vajpayee. His approach, however, remained almost unchanged. He had decided to continue Vajpayee’s strategy and build international relations with the USA, China, and Pakistan. 

Under his government, India and the United States signed a civil nuclear deal, which began a new era in their international relations. However, he lost the support of the Indian Left after this deal and India’s consent to place its nuclear plants under IAEA became public. Singh also spoke with three different Pakistani governments and made multiple gestures toward peace during that time.

Narendra Modi: Transformational Leadership

Narendra Modi began serving as the country’s Prime Minister in 2014. He began working with RSS in Gujarat in 1971. In 1985, he was sent to join the BJP. Here, he became general secretary and then the Chief Minister of Gujarat. During the 2014 elections, he used the success of the Gujarat Model to make himself the frontrunner of the BJP and win the elections.

Modi’s government initiated many programs to aid the country’s development. The largest cleaning initiative in the world, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, was initiated by Modi. More than 30 million workers around the country pledged to this initiative. He also started the initiative of Digital India in 2015 to help India become more technologically advanced. India has also strengthened its foreign policies under his government. For example, he has strengthened ties with ASEAN and other East Asian nations in accordance with India’s Look East strategy.

Current Prime Minister of India

Dr Narendra Damodardas Modi has been the current prime minister of India since 2014. His leadership style and policy initiative show his dedication to developing India. This is evident because of his outstanding speech skills, judgment skills, and ability to build a rapport with others. He has also established a lot of different policies to help India develop and become more self-sufficient, like the Smart City initiative, Skill India Mission, AMRUT Strategy, and more.

His attempts to solve ongoing problems like inadequate infrastructure, pollution, insufficient national security, and weak foreign relations are admirable. However, some of his government’s challenges are unemployment, the economy, and domestic social unrest.

Also Read :-

List of Prime Minister of Pakistan

Powers and Functions of Prime Minister: Types, Council of Minister.

Biography of Jawaharlal Nehru: Family, Wife, and More

Prime Minister of India List from 1947 to 2020

The list of prime ministers of India list from 1947 to 2020 is given below, showcasing their notable policies, achievements, and challenges:

1. Jawaharlal Nehru (1947-1964): Architect of modern India, Five-Year Plans, Non-Aligned Movement.
2. Lal Bahadur Shastri (1964-1966): “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan,” Green Revolution.
3. Indira Gandhi (1966-1977, 1980-1984): Emergency, Green Revolution, Pokhran I.
4. Morarji Desai (1977-1979): Economic reforms, nuclear disarmament.
5. Charan Singh (1979-1980): Agrarian reforms.
6. Rajiv Gandhi (1984-1989): IT revolution, Look East Policy.
7. V.P. Singh (1989-1990): Mandal Commission implementation, economic challenges.
8. Chandra Shekhar (1990-1991): Short tenure, economic reforms.
9. P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991-1996): Economic liberalisation, Look East Policy.
10. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1996, 1998-2004): Nuclear tests, Kargil War, economic reforms.
11. H.D. Deve Gowda (1996-1997): United Front coalition, economic challenges.
12. I.K. Gujral (1997-1998): Diplomacy with neighbours, coalition politics.
13. Manmohan Singh (2004-2014): Economic reforms, nuclear deal, inclusive growth.
14. Narendra Modi (2014-ongoing): Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Digital India, foreign policy initiatives.

Power and Function of Prime Minister

The power and function of the prime minister is quite important. Some of these are:

1. The Prime Minister of India serves as the country’s leader and the head of the Indian government. 
2. One of the most important responsibilities of a Prime Minister is that they are in charge of India’s foreign policy. 
3. They are responsible for the country’s security system. They also help with decision-making during times of conflict.
4. The Prime Minister is the President’s principal adviser.
5. They are in charge of making sure that the armed forces advance technologically. Also, oversee government agencies and initiatives. 

A Glimpse into the Prime Minister’s Legacy

Every person on this list of India’s Prime Ministers worked hard to ensure India developed socially, politically, and economically. From Nehru’s vision of modernisation to Modi’s initiatives for a better tomorrow, they have all left their own mark on history. By taking inspiration from one another in matters of foreign policies and initiatives, they have certainly created a standard for political excellence.

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