List of Presidents of India from 1950 to 2024

February 17, 2025

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

As the List of all Presidents of India from 1947 to 2024, India’s 15th president, Draupadi Murmu is the first indigenous woman to hold the top constitutional position in the nation. According to the support provided by different parties, Draupadi Murmu of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) held a significant advantage against Yashwant Sinha of the opposition right from the start. In this article, there is everything you need to know about the Presidents of India from 1950 to 2024.

In India, the Head of State is the President. Presidents of India are referred to as the nation’s first citizens. According to Articles 52 and 53 of the Indian Constitution, the President of India shall be able to exercise all of the Union’s administrative functions directly or through officers who report to him.

The Constitution of India was ratified on November 26, 1949, and it went into effect on January 26, 1950. Rajendra Prasad served as India’s first president under its constitution.

Presidents of India: Some Important Facts

Some information about the Indian President and previous Presidents of India who have served the nation is provided below. These facts frequently form the basis of questions in the nation’s top competitive exams.

  • The first President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad had the longest tenure. He served as President of the nation for two terms.
  • The third Indian President, Zakir Hussain, had the shortest tenure. He died while working in his office.
  • There were three interim Presidents in addition to the full-time Presidents shown in the table above. They were Basappa, Mohammad Hidayatullah, and Varahagiri Venkata Giri. Danappa Jatti
  • Neelam Sanjiva Reddy served as Andhra Pradesh’s first Chief Minister and was India’s youngest President.
  • The procedure outlined in Article 61 of the Indian Constitution must be followed if the President of India intends to resign.  In the event of the Indian President’s resignation, the President must provide the Vice President with a handwritten letter.
  • Members of the House of Parliament and elected representatives from the legislative bodies of the States and Union Territories vote to choose the President.

List of Presidents of India from 1950 to 2024

On November 26, 1949, India’s Constitution was ratified (it went into effect on January 26, 1950), and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was chosen to serve as the country’s first President of India under the new system among the list of Presidents of India.

The 14th President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, finished his term in July 2022. Ram Nath Kovind was the president of India before Draupadi Murmu. In the 15th election, even though he was qualified, he chose not to run for office again. As a result, the current Indian President, Draupadi Murmu was chosen by the electoral college to be the 15th President of India in July 2022. Read all about the Presidents of India from 1950 to 2024 president list below:

Complete List of Presidents of India (1950 – Present)

No.NameTenure
1Rajendra Prasad26 Jan 1950 – 13 May 1962
2Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan13 May 1962 – 13 May 1967
3Zakir Hussain13 May 1967 – 3 May 1969
V.V. Giri (Acting)3 May 1969 – 20 July 1969
Mohammad Hidayatullah (Acting)20 July 1969 – 24 Aug 1969
4V.V. Giri24 Aug 1969 – 24 Aug 1974
5Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed24 Aug 1974 – 11 Feb 1977
B.D. Jatti (Acting)11 Feb 1977 – 25 July 1977
6Neelam Sanjiva Reddy25 July 1977 – 25 July 1982
7Giani Zail Singh25 July 1982 – 25 July 1987
8R. Venkataraman25 July 1987 – 25 July 1992
9Shankar Dayal Sharma25 July 1992 – 25 July 1997
10K.R. Narayanan25 July 1997 – 25 July 2002
11A.P.J. Abdul Kalam25 July 2002 – 25 July 2007
12Pratibha Patil25 July 2007 – 25 July 2012
13Pranab Mukherjee25 July 2012 – 25 July 2017
14Ram Nath Kovind25 July 2017 – 25 July 2022
15Droupadi Murmu25 July 2022 – Present

Presidents of India’s Qualifications:

The following list is the requirements:

  • He ought to be a citizen of India.
  • He should be at least 35 years old.
  • He should meet the requirements to be elected as a Lok Sabha member.
  • He shouldn’t have any lucrative positions in federal, state, or public authorities.

About The Presidents of India

Rajendra Prasad

  • Rajendra Prasad (May 13, 1952 – May 13, 1957) and (May 13 1957 – May 13 1962)
  • He was elected twice as the President
  • He was also the President of the constituent assembly before being elected to this post.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

  • Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (May 13 1962 – May 13 1967)
  • Radhakrishnan was a prominent philosopher and writer.
  • He also held the vice-chancellor of the Andhra University and Banaras Hindu University.

Zakir Hussain

  • Zakir Hussain (May 13 1967 – May 3 1969)
  • He was the recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna.
  • He was the shortest-serving President and passed away in office.

Varahagiri Venkata Giri

  • Varahagiri Venkata Giri (3 May 1969 – 20 July 1969) and (24 August 1969 – 24 August 1974)
  • He was elected Vice President of India in 1967.
  • He served as the President for a short term due to the sudden death of Zakir Hussain in office.

Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

  • Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (August 24, 1974 – February 11 1977)
  • He was the President during the Emergency.
  • He was the second president who died in office.

Neelam Sanjiva Reddy

  • Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (July 25, 1977 – July 25, 1982)
  • He was the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
  • He became the youngest President who occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan and contested twice for the post of President.

Zail Singh

  • Zail Singh (July 25 1982 – July 25 1987)
  • He was the Chief Minister of Punjab and the Union Home Minister

Ramaswamy Venkataraman

  • Ramaswamy Venkataraman (July 25 1987 – July 25 1992)
  • He is a receiver of “Tamra Patra” for his contributions to India’s freedom struggle.

Shankar Dayal Sharma

  • Shankar Dayal Sharma (July 25 1992 – July 25 1997)
  • He was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and the Indian Minister for Communications.

Kocheril Raman Narayanan

  • Kocheril Raman Narayanan (July 25 1997 – July 25 2002)
  • He served as India’s ambassador to Thailand, Turkey, China and the United States of America.

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

  • Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (July 25 2002 – July 25 2007)
  • He led the development of India’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.
  • He was also a Bharat Ratna recipient.

Pratibha Patil

  • Pratibha Patil (25 July 2007 – 25 July 2012)
  • She was the first woman president of India.

Pranab Mukherjee

  • Pranab Mukherjee (July 25 – July 25 2017)
  • He was awarded the Best Parliamentary Award in 1997.
  • He also received Padma Vibhushan in 2008.

Ram Nath Kovind

  • Ram Nath Kovind (July 25 2017 – July 25 2022)
  • He served as the Governor of Bihar.

Draupadi Murmu

  • Draupadi Murmu (current )
  • She is currently serving the country as the President of India.

Presidents of India: Election & Removal

Presidents of India: Election process

The President of India is elected by an Electoral College, which consists of:

  • Elected members of both Houses of Parliament
  • Elected members of State Legislative Assemblies
  • Elected members of Legislative Assemblies of Delhi & Puducherry

The election follows a single transferable vote system, where second preference votes are also considered.

Presidents of India: Removal Process

  • The President serves a five-year term but can resign anytime by submitting a letter to the Vice President.
  • The President can be removed before the completion of the term through impeachment.
  • Impeachment is initiated for violating the Constitution and requires approval from both Houses of Parliament.
  • If a new President is not elected at the end of the tenure, the incumbent continues until a successor takes charge.
  • The President is eligible for re-election.

Conclusion

Hence, this is the list of Presidents of India from 1947 to 2024. Take a look at the articles above to enhance your knowledge of the same. To know more official information, Read Former Presidents of India | President of India

To check out the list of India Prime Ministers, Click Here

Recommended reading:

List of famous personalities of India

UNESCO World Heritage Site India: A comprehensive list

Republic Day and Independence Day: Path to Freedom

List of Governor General of India

Who was the first woman President of India?

Ans. Pratibha Devisingh Patil was the first woman president of India. On July 25, 2007, Patil took the oath of office as India’s first female President. She is India’s 12th president. She holds this position for the first time as a woman and a Maharashtrian. The Indian Left and the ruling United Progressive Alliance both nominated Patil, a member of the Indian National Congress. She was Rajasthan’s first female governor.

Who is the most extended President in India?

Ans. Dr Rajendra Prasad was the longest-serving President in India. Freedom fighter and congress leader Dr Rajendra Prasad served as the President of India for 12 years from 1950 to 1962 and remains the country’s longest President. He was also the first president of India and remained the only President to date to complete two terms in office. He passed away on February 28, 1963, at age 78.

How many presidents are there in India in 2025?

Ans. Since 1950, after the adoption of the Indian constitution and the proclamation of India as a republic, there have been 15 presidents of India. Draupadi Murmu is currently serving India as the President of the country.

Who is the youngest President of India?

Ans. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. Reddy received the support of all political parties, including the opposition Congress party. He became the President without a challenge, becoming the first and only President to do so. Until Draupadi Murmu’s election as President in 2022, he was the youngest President of India at 64.

Who are the 15 presidents of India?

Ans. Dr. Rajendra Prasad – 1st President of India
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan – 2nd President of India
Dr. Zakir Husain – 3rd President of India
Shri Varahagiri Venkata Giri – 4th President of India
Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed – 5th President of India
Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy – 6th President of India
Giani Zail Singh – 7th President of India
Shri R. Venkataraman – 8th President of India
Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma – 9th President of India
Shri K. R. Narayanan – 10th President of India
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam – 11th President of India
Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil – 12th President of India
Shri Pranab Mukherjee – 13th President of India
Shri Ram Nath Kovind – 14th President of India

List of Chief Justice of India (1950-2023)

Frequently asked questions :

Related Content

  • Droupadi Murmu is the 15th and first indigenous woman President of India, elected in July 2022.
  • The President of India is the head of the executive, legislature, and judiciary as per Articles 52-78 of the Constitution.
  • Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India, serving from 1950 to 1962, while Ram Nath Kovind was the 14th President before Murmu.
  • The President is elected by an Electoral College, including MPs and MLAs from states and Union Territories through a single transferable vote system.
  • The President serves for five years but can resign anytime by submitting a letter to the Vice President or be impeached for violating the Constitution.
  • Dr. Zakir Hussain had the shortest tenure, as he passed away in office, while Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was the youngest President.
  • India had three acting Presidents: VV Giri, Mohammad Hidayatullah, and BD Jatti.
  • The President remains in office for five years until a successor takes charge and is eligible for re-election.