Presidents of India: A Complete Chronological List and Historical Overview (1950-2026)

The office of the President of India is the highest constitutional position in the nation. As defined under Article 52 of the Indian Constitution, the President serves as the ceremonial head of state. This article provides a detailed historical overview of all individuals who have occupied this esteemed office from 1950 to 2026.

Understanding the Presidential Office and Elections

The President of India holds a five-year term and is eligible for immediate re-election with no constitutional limits on the number of terms. The Election Commission of India is the constitutional authority responsible for conducting these high-stakes elections. If you are interested in the broader governance structure, you may also want to review the List of Prime Ministers of India - Click to Check.

Eligibility Criteria for President of India (Article 58)

• The President should be a citizen of India.
• The President must be above the age of 35 years.
• The President should be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha.
• The President of India should not contain any office of profit under the State Government, Union, and other local authorities.

Electoral College Composition for Presidential Election

• Elected members of both Houses of Parliament
• Elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies
• Elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of Delhi and Puducherry (as per the 70th Amendment Act, 1992)

Chronological List of Presidents of India (1950-2026)

Name	Starting date	Ending date	Profiles
1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad	January 26th, 1950	May 13th, 1962	He was the first President of the Republic of India.
2. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan	May 13th, 1962	May 13th, 1967	He was the 2nd President of India.
3. Dr. the Zakir Hussain	May 13th, 1967	May 3rd, 1969	He was the 3rd President of India.
4. Varahagiri Venkata Giri	May 3rd, 1969	July 20th, 1969	He was acting President because of Hussain’s death.
5. Mohammad Hidayatullah	July 20th, 1969	August 24th, 1969	He was acting President till Giri’s presidency.
6. Varahagiri Venkata Giri	August 24th, 1969	August 24th, 1974	He was the 4th President of India.
7. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed	August 24th, 1974	February 11th, 1977	He was the 5th President of India.
8. Basappa Danappa Jatti	February 11th, 1977	July 25th, 1977	He was a chief minister of the Mysore but got elected as President, After the death of Ahmed.
9. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy	July 25th, 1977	July 25th, 1982	Reddy was the 6th President of India unopposed.
10. Giani Zail Singh	July 25th, 1982	July 25th, 1987	He was the 7th President of India and was also a member of the Congress party.
11. Ramaswamy Venkataraman	July 25th, 1987	July 25th, 1992	He was the 8th President of India. He was also a lawyer and a professional politician.
12. Shankar Dayal Sharma	July 25th, 1992	July 25th, 1997	He was the 9th President of India, and he was also a member of the National Congress Party of India.
13. Kocheril Raman Narayanan	July 25th, 1997	July 25th, 2002	He was the 10th President of India and the best diplomat in India.
14. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam	July 25th, 2002	July 25th, 2007	He was the 11th President of India, and he was a great scientist. He worked in ISRO and DRDO organizations.
15. Pratibha Patil	July 25th, 2007	July 25th, 2012	She was the 12th President of India, and she was the first woman to Be President.
16. Pranab Mukherjee	July 25th, 2012	July 25th, 2017	He was the 13th President of India, and he was also a senior leader of the National Congress party.
17. Shri Ram Nath Kovind	July 25th, 2017	July 21st, 2022	He is the 14th President of India, and he is also the ex-governor Of Bihar.
18. Droupadi Murmu	July 21st, 2022	Working	She is the 15th President of India and was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party

Key Facts and Figures

• Seven Presidents had active political party affiliations prior to their election.
• Six of these Presidents were previously active members of the Indian National Congress.
• Dr. Rajendra Prasad remains the only President to have served two full terms.
• Current President Droupadi Murmu is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who elects the President of India?

The President is elected by an Electoral College consisting of elected members from both Houses of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.

What is the term of the office of the President?

The President holds office for a five-year term.

Who conducts the election of President of India?

The Election Commission of India is responsible for conducting the presidential elections.

Who was the first President of India?

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India.

Who is the present president of India?

Droupadi Murmu is the current President of India.