Remarkable leaders have led Indian democracy. Over the years, the nation has seen Infrastructural reforms, growth in GDP, better standard of living but has also witnessed wars, drought, and covid. But steering through all these, Indian democracy has been led by remarkable leaders who have shaped India with their decisions and historic milestones. Look at India’s Longest-Serving Prime Ministers: Top 10 Leaders Who Ruled the Longest
1. Jawaharlal Nehru – 16 years, 286 days (1947–1964)
Longest serving Prime Minister. Back then India was in shatters. Dead economy. War threat looming. Zero infrastructure development. Tragic relationship with Pakistan. But the new energy that came in through recent independence was the guiding light. He laid foundation for industrial and economical development. He ruled with a vision to overcome the pain inflicted through 200 years of British rule.
2. Indira Gandhi – 15 years, 350 days (1966–1977, 1980–1984)
Massively popular, Indira Gandhi was the first and the only female Prime Minister of India. He ability to take tough decisions like liberating Bangladesh and nationalization of banks are still regarded as one of the boldest decisions taken by any PM. However, her decision on Emergency is regarded as a black moment in Indian History.
3. Manmohan Singh – 10 years, 4 days (2004–2014)
Manmohan Singh lead India to remarkable heights. Indian economy reached new high. On a global level, India was appreciated. His schemes like MNREGA were landmark. However, during the end of his tenure there was a heavy criticism for scandals and corruption like 2G, Common Wealth and many more.
4. Narendra Modi – 10+ years (2014–Present)
By far our current Prime Minister- Narendra Modi is considered as the most popular leader the nation has seen. His speeches are masterpiece. His work ethics, willpower, determination makes him a super human. He made India the UPI nation of the world. Countries like Singapore, Malaysia and others are adapting what India has done. His initiatives like Make in India, PM Yojna, Har Ghar Jal Yojna are very thoughtful and well planned. His economic reforms and G20 leadership make him a stand-out leader
5. Atal Bihari Vajpayee – 6 years, 80 days (1998–2004)
If there’s one leader that even the opposition respects, he is none other than Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He made India a Nuclear power. He made sincere efforts to improve Indo-Pak relation. It was a coalition era of governance and his leadership brought stability to Indian politics
6. P. V. Narasimha Rao – 4 years, 330 days (1991–1996)
When P. V. Narasimha Rao became the Prime Minister, India foreign reserves were in shatters. He took extremely bold steps to bring liberalization and opened the doors for Globalisation. This brought Indian economy back on the running track. Credit to his foresightedness and brave calls.
7. Rajiv Gandhi – 5 years, 32 days (1984–1989)
He was just 40 when Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India. After the sudden assassination of his mother Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi had a big shoe to fill. First, he had to stabilise India and bring law and order under control. He did it with perfection. During his tenure he moved India towards Information Technology and telecom revolution.
8. Morarji Desai – 2 years, 126 days (1977–1979)
After decades of Congress dominance, Morarji Desai was the first non-congress Prime Minister. After the emergency, his Janta Party Governance came to power. This was a major shift in Indian politics. It was the first time we felt the power of democracy.
9. Lal Bahadur Shastri – 1 year, 216 days (1964–1966)
In his short-lived tenure as a Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri proved to be yet another strong Indian leader. He strengthened India in agriculture and defence. He also led the nation during 1965 war with Pakistan.
10. Vishwanath Pratap Singh (V. P. Singh) – 343 days (1989–1990)
OBCs in India consider him their god. He expanded reservations for OBC. This reshaped India’s social and political structure. Though his tenure was short lived, his impact is still very strong.
Read more: Top Business Magazine
