Since India’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, it has had 14 prime ministers. India adopted a parliamentary system from the British, so its prime minister is chosen by a majority vote from the largest bloc in India’s Parliament. As a result, the same person can serve as prime minister for multiple, non-consecutive terms.
India is not an easy place to govern. It is a young country founded through a traumatic, bloody partition. It has the world’s second largest population in a landmass the size of Western Europe. No Indian prime minister was perfect because even the most successful ones also pursued deeply flawed policies. Still, these three stand above the rest.
5) Jawaharlal Nehru
The first leader of a country is always going to make a mark on it and impact its future evolution, for good or ill. Jawaharlal Nehru was one such individual. Nehru made many, many mistakes, but also set the course for India to become the stable, multiethnic democracy it is today. Nehru, the leader of the Congress Party, became India’s first prime minister in 1947 and served until his death in 1964. The first controversy surrounding Nehru was his role in the partition of India; he has been often criticized for allowing or even tacitly supporting India’s partition into India and Pakistan.
4) Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi, daughter of Nehru, was India’s third prime minister. She married a man surnamed Gandhi (no relation to Mahatma Gandhi) and strategically took his last name in order to make the most out of it. A deeply flawed, manipulative individual responsible for India’s only suspension of democracy, the Emergency (1975-77), she nonetheless possessed the steeliest characteristics of any Indian prime minister. Lee Kuan Yew said of her: “Indira Gandhi was the toughest woman prime minister I have met. She was feminine but there was nothing soft about her. She was a more determined and ruthless political leader than Margaret Thatcher….”
3) Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi was the first leader who took India into the 21st century. His contribution in triggering the country’s IT and communications revolution was remarkable but sadly he did not get the credit he deserved. He took many worthy initiatives, like panchayati raj, open market for four wheeler factories, computers and economic liberalization. His tragically early death left many wondering what might have become if he would have served for more time.
2) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was India’s tenth prime minister, and its first prime minister from outside of the Congress Party to serve a full five-year term. This was an achievement in and of itself because it proved that India could be functional while not rule by the Congress Party (two short periods of non-Congress rule before lasted only a couple of years each and featured multiple, short-lived prime ministers and shaky coalitions).
Vajpayee, who belonged to the BJP, was prime minister in 1996 and from 1998-2004. His rule was important because it began the process that changed the assumptions of many of India’s foreign policy and domestic goals.
1) Narendra Modi
credit: third party image reference
Narendra Modi is second non congress leader who is near to complete full 5 year tenure and he is the first non congress leader who got full majority to form the government in center. He served 15 years as CM of Gujarat, but unfortunately in his tenure India saw riots. After becoming prime minister he took many strong decisions, like demonstration and GST, and he also trying to make global relation stronger. He will Hold the Chair or Prime Minister for 10 years straight.
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