India, a vast and diverse country, is a beacon of democracy in the world. The President and Vice President of India play a crucial role in upholding the principles of this democracy, acting as the head of the state and representing the nation on the global stage. In this article, we will take a brief look at the history of the President and Vice President of India and the role they play in shaping the future of the country.
The Vice President of India is the second-highest constitutional office in the country and acts as the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The Vice President is elected by an Electoral College consisting of the elected members of both houses of Parliament. The Vice President holds office for a term of five years and can be re-elected for an additional term. In the event of the President's death, resignation, or removal from office, the Vice President becomes the President.
| Name | Tenure as President | Political Party |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Rajendra Prasad | 1950-1962 | Independent |
| Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | 1962-1967 | Independent |
| Dr. Zakir Hussain | 1967-1969 | Independent |
| V. V. Giri | 1969-1974 | Independent |
| Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed | 1974-1977 | Indian National Congress |
| Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | 1977-1982 | Indian National Congress |
| Giani Zail Singh | 1982-1987 | Indian National Congress |
| R. Venkataraman | 1987-1992 | Indian National Congress |
| Shankar Dayal Sharma | 1992-1997 | Indian National Congress |
| Kocheril Raman Narayanan | 1997-2002 | Independent |
| A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | 2002-2007 | Independent |
| Pratibha Patil | 2007-2012 | Indian National Congress |
| Pranab Mukherjee | 2012-2017 | Indian National Congress |
| Ram Nath Kovind | 2017-2022 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Droupadi Murmu | 2022-Current | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Name | Tenure as Vice President | Political Party |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | 1952-1962 | Independent |
| Dr. Zakir Hussain | 1962-1967 | Independent |
| V. V. Giri | 1967-1969 | Independent |
| Gopal Swarup Pathak | 1969-1974 | Independent |
| Basappa Danappa Jatti | 1974-1977 | Janata Party |
| B. D. Jatti | 1977-1979 | Janata Party |
| Basavaraj Pattadakal Venkappa Raju | 1979-1984 | Independent |
| Ramaswamy Venkataraman | 1984-1987 | Indian National Congress |
| Shankar Dayal Sharma | 1987-1992 | Indian National Congress |
| Kocheril Raman Narayanan | 1992-1997 | Independent |
| Krishan Kant | 1997-1997 | Indian National Congress |
| Muhammad Hidayatullah | 1979-1984 | Independent |
| Bhairon Singh Shekhawat | 2002-2007 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Hamid Ansari | 2007-2017 | Independent |
| M. Venkaiah Naidu | 2017-2022 | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Jagdeep Dhankhar | 2022-Current | Bharatiya Janata Party |
First Presidential Election (1950) - The first Presidential Election in India was held in 1950, in which Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the first President of India.
Election of India's First Woman President (1997) - On July 25, 1997, Pratibha Patil was elected as the first woman President of India.
First Vice-Presidential Election (1952) - The first Vice-Presidential Election in India was held in 1952, in which Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was elected as the first Vice-President of India.
Re-election of President R. Venkataraman (1987) - On July 25, 1987, R. Venkataraman was re-elected as the President of India, becoming the first person to hold the office for two terms.
Election of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as President (2002) - On July 25, 2002, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was elected as the President of India, becoming the first scientist to hold the office.
Election of Ram Nath Kovind as President (2017) - On July 25, 2017, Ram Nath Kovind was elected as the President of India, becoming the first person from the Dalit community to hold the office.
Election of Draupadi Murmu as President (2022) - On 25, July 2022, Draupadi Murmu was elected as the President of India, becoming the first tribal woman to hold the office.
Election of India's First Woman Vice President - No