List of prime ministers of India

The prime minister is the actual head of the country in India, even though we have a president. Most powers rest with the prime minister and he is directly elected by the people and then chosen by his party to lead the country. India has had charismatic leaders as its prime minister as well as down to earth yet made of steel prime ministers like Mr. Shashtri and Mr. Manmohan Singh. The most powerful and charismatic prime minister was perhaps Mrs. Gandhi who won both admiration and awe of the people.

Here's a list of all prime ministers of India

1. Jawahar Lal Nehru(1889–1964)

Term of office

15 August 1947 - 27 May 1964(16 years, 286 days)

The first prime minister of India and the longest-serving PM of India, first to die in office.

2. Gulzarilal Nanda(1898–1998)

Term of office

27 May 1964-9 June 1964(13 days)

First acting PM of India

3. Lal Bahadur Shastri(1904–1966)

Term of office

9 June 1964 - 11 January 1966(1 year, 216 days)

He has given the slogan of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' during Indo-Pak war of 1965

4.  Gulzarilal Nanda(1898–1998)

Term of office

11 January 1966-24 January 1966(13 days)

5. Indira Gandhi(1917–1984)

Term of office

24 January 1966 - 24 March 1977(11 years, 59 days)

First lady Prime Minister of India

6. Morarji Desai(1896–1995)

Term of office

24 March 1977 – 28 July 1979(2 year, 116 days)

Oldest to become PM @ 81 and first to resign from office

7. Charan Singh(1902–1987)

Term of office

28 July, 1979 - 14 January 1980(170 days)

Only PM who did not face the Parliament

8. Indira Gandhi(1917–1984)

Term of office

14 Jan.1980 - 31 Oct. 1984(4 years, 291 days)

The first lady who served as PM for the second term

9. Rajiv Gandhi(1944–1991)

Term of office

31 Oct, 1984 - 2 Dec. 1989(5 years, 32 days)

Youngest to become PM @ 40 year

10. V. P. Singh(1931–2008)

Term of office

2 Dec. 1989 - 10 Nov. 1990(343 days)

First PM to step down after a vote of no confidence

11. Chandra Shekhar(1927–2007)

Term of office

10 November 1990 - 21 June 1991(223 days)

He belongs to  Samajwadi Janata Party

12. P. V. Narasimha Rao(1921–2004)

Term of office

21 June 1991 - 16 May 1996(4 years, 330 days)

First PM from south India

13. Atal Bihari Vajpayee(1924-2018)

Term of office

16 May 1996 - 1 June 1996(16 days)

PM for shortest tenure

14. H. D. Deve Gowda(born 1933)

Term of office

1 June 1996 - 21 April 1997(324 days)

He belongs to  Janata Dal

15. Inder Kumar Gujral(1919–2012)

Term of office

21 April 1997 - 19 March 1998(332 days)

16.  Atal Bihari Vajpayee(born 1924)

Term of office

19 March 1998 - 22 May 2004(6 years, 64 days)

The first non-congress PM who completed a full term as PM

17. Manmohan Singh(born 1932)

Term of office

22 May 2004 - 26 May 2014(10 years, 4 May 2 days)

First Sikh PM

18. Narendra Modi(born 1950)

Term of office

26 May 2014, Incumbent

4th Prime Minister of India who served two consecutive tenures