From Jawaharlal Nehru To Narendra Modi, A Look At Longest-Serving Prime Ministers Of India – News18

Narendra Modi is set to take oath as Prime Minister for the third time in New Delhi on June 9, after the NDA crossed the majority mark of 272 seats in Lok Sabha this election. Modi now joins the likes of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi from the Indian National Congress to have served as PM for more than 15 years.

Let us look at the longest serving prime ministers of India.

Jawaharlal Nehru: He remained in power for 16 years and 286 days, from 1947-1964, when he died of a heart attack. He won his three terms with a brute majority, but still faced challenges from within the Congress and outside, especially from the regional parties. His involvement in the freedom struggle and association with Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders contributed to his widespread popularity. He played a pivotal role in building a modern India, initiating significant projects including big factories and dams, and promoting scientific education. Nehru also established India’s foreign policy of non-alignment, maintaining the country’s independence from both the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Indira Gandhi: The first woman Prime Minister of India served for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977 and a fourth term from 1980 until she was assassinated in 1984. In 1964, after her father’s death, she was made the information and Broadcasting minister in Lal Bahadur Shastri’s cabinet. Her anti-poverty measures, Green revolution, and the war with Pakistan, which helped liberate Bangladesh made her immensely popular. After the declaration of emergency, the entire country was under direct rule of Gandhi and the Congress party. Police were granted special powers, which enabled them to curb liberty indefinitely. The press was also censored. Most of the Opposition leaders were detained and states governed by the Opposition parties were dismissed. On October 31, 1984, Gandhi was assassinated by her two bodyguards outside her home, who had sought revenge for what happened at the Golden Temple.

Narendra Modi: The popular BJP leader is seeking a third consecutive term after assuming office in 2014. In the 2014 and 2019 Parliamentary elections, Modi led the BJP to record wins, securing absolute majority on both occasions. During his tenure as PM, Modi launched several schemes and campaigns such as Swatchh Bharat, Make in India, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi among others. During his tenure, special attention has been paid to India’s rich history and culture from rolling out pilgrimage trains, to building the State of Unity statue and the grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya. His second term has focused on economic revitalisation, infrastructure development, and global engagement.

Manmohan Singh: An Indian economist, Singh served as the prime minister from 2004 to 2014. In an effort to meet India’s growing energy demands, Singh in 2005 entered into negotiations with US President George W. Bush for a nuclear cooperation pact. The deal called for India to receive fuel technology for nuclear plants and be given the ability to purchase nuclear fuel on the world market. Singh’s government introduced important legislation, including the Right to Education Act, and worked towards improving technology and infrastructure in the country. He also held the positions of Secretary in the Finance Ministry, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Atal Bihari Vajpayee: A visionary leader, Vajpayee served three terms as prime minister, albeit non-consecutive. He became the first non-Congress Indian prime minister to serve a full five-year term in office. He is remembered for his initiatives towards nuclear testing and fostering peace with Pakistan. India’s victory in Kargil bolstered Vajpayee’s image, and he was praised for supporting the armed forces. He is remembered for the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998, which established India as a recognised nuclear power. Vajpayee also worked to improve relations with Pakistan and initiated major infrastructure projects such as the Golden Quadrilateral highway network. His journey in electoral politics began in 1957, when he contested the Lok Sabha elections from three seats and was elected from Uttar Pradesh’s Balrampur constituency. Vajpayee took oath as a member of Parliament that year and impressed then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who predicted Vajpayee will become prime minister someday. Vajpayee was a member of the Parliament for over five decades, having been elected to the Lok Sabha ten times, and twice to the Rajya Sabha. He died in 2018 at the age of 93.