List of heads of state of India

This is a list of the heads of state of India, from the independence of India in 1947 to the present day. The current head of state of India is Ram Nath Kovind, elected in 2017 after being nominated by BJP, the party run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

For historical heads of state in the Indian Subcontinent, see List of Indian monarchs.

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From 1947 to 1950 the head of state under the Indian Independence Act 1947 was King of India, who was also the Monarch of the United Kingdom and of the other Dominions of the British Commonwealth. The monarch was represented in India by a Governor-General. India became a republic under the Constitution of 1950 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by a ceremonial President.

Monarch (1947–1950)

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

№ Monarch
(Birth–Death)		 Portrait Reign Royal House Governor General
Reign start Reign end
1 King George VI
(1895–1952)		 15 August 1947 26 January 1950 Windsor Mountbatten
(1947–1948)
Rajagopalachari
(1948–1950)

Governor-General

The Governor-General was the representative of the Monarch in India and exercised most of the powers of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the Monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of India without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.

№ Governor-General
(Birth–Death)		 Portrait Tenure Monarch Prime Minister
Took office Left office
1 The Rt. Hon. The Earl Mountbatten of Burma
(1900–1979)		 15 August 1947 21 June 1948 George VI Nehru

(1947–1964)
2 Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
(1878–1972)		 21 June 1948 26 January 1950

President of India

Under the Constitution, of the Republic of India, the President replaced the Monarch as ceremonial head of state. The President is elected by the Electoral College for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the Vice-President serves as Acting President.

Status
  Denotes Vice-President acting as President
№ President
(birth–death)		 Portrait Tenure Elected Political affiliation
(at time of appointment)		 Prime Minister
Took office Left office
1 Rajendra Prasad
(1884–1963)		 26 January 1950 13 May 1962 1952
1957		 Indian National Congress Nehru
(1947–1964)
2 Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
(1888–1975)		 13 May 1962 13 May 1967 1962 Independent Nehru
(1947–1964)
Nanda
(1964)
Shastri
(1964–1966)
Nanda
(1966)
Gandhi
(1966–1977)
3 Zakir Husain
(1897–1969)		 13 May 1967 3 May 1969
(died in office.)		 1967 Independent Gandhi
(1966–1977)
4 V. V. Giri
(1894–1980)		 3 May 1969 20 July 1969 1969 Independent Gandhi
(1966–1977)
5 Mohammad Hidayatullah
(1905–1992)		 20 July 1969 24 August 1969 1969 Independent Gandhi
(1966–1977)
(4) V. V. Giri
(1894–1980)		 24 August 1969 24 August 1974 1969 Independent Gandhi
(1966–1977)
6 Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
(1905–1977)		 24 August 1974 11 February 1977
(died in office.)		 1974 Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1966–1977)
7 B. D. Jatti
(1912–2002)		 11 February 1977 25 July 1977
 — Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1966–1977)
Desai
(1977–1979)
8 Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
(1913–1996)		 25 July 1977 25 July 1982 1977 Janata Party Desai
(1977–1979)
Singh
(1979–1980)
Gandhi
(1980–1984)
9 Giani Zail Singh
(1916–1994)		 25 July 1982 25 July 1983 1982 Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1980–1984)
(5) Mohammad Hidayatullah
(1905–1992)		 25 July 1983 25 July 1983 — Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1980–1984)
(9) Giani Zail Singh
(1916–1994)		 25 July 1983 25 July 1984 — Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1980–1984)
(5) Mohammad Hidayatullah
(1905–1992)		 25 July 1984 25 July 1984 — Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1980–1984)
(9) Giani Zail Singh
(1916–1994)		 25 July 1984 25 July 1987 — Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1980–1984)
Gandhi
(1984–1989)
10 R. Venkataraman
(1910–2009)		 25 July 1987 25 July 1992 1987 Indian National Congress Gandhi
(1984–1989)
Singh
(1989–1990)
Shekhar
(1990–1991)
Rao
(1991–1996)
11 Shankar Dayal Sharma
(1918–1999)		 25 July 1992 25 July 1997 1992 Indian National Congress Rao
(1991–1996)
Vajpayee
(1996)
Deve Gowda
(1996–1997)
Gujral
(1997–1998)
12 K. R. Narayanan
(1920–2005)		 25 July 1997 25 July 2002 1997 Indian National Congress Gujral
(1997–1998)
Vajpayee
(1998–2004)
13 A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
(1931–2015)		 25 July 2002 25 July 2007 2002 Independent Vajpayee
(1998–2004)
Singh
(2004–2014)
14 Pratibha Patil
(1934–)		 25 July 2007 25 July 2012 2007 Indian National Congress Singh
(2004–2014)
15 Pranab Mukherjee
(1935–2020)		 25 July 2012 25 July 2017 2012 Indian National Congress Singh
(2004–2014)
Modi
(2014–)
16 Ram Nath Kovind
(1945–)		 25 July 2017 Incumbent 2017 Bharatiya Janata Party Modi
(2014–)

Standards
  • Governor-General's Standard (1947–1950)
  • Presidential Standard (1950–1971)

Living former heads of state

There is only one living former Indian head of state:

Image Name Term/reign Office Date of birth
Pratibha Patil 2007–2012 President of India (1934-12-19) 19 December 1934

References
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