After nearly two centuries under colonial rule, the country finally achieved independence in 1947. The Constituent Assembly adopted the Indian Constitution on November 26, 1949, which is celebrated as Constitution Day. However, it officially came into effect on January 26, 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day.
This year, we celebrate the 77th Republic Day on January 26th, 2026. Beyond the celebrations, Republic Day serves as a reminder of the rights, duties, and democratic responsibilities shared by us Indians. Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa are the Chief Guests of the Republic Day parade this year.
This transformation is the result of decisive leadership. Since independence, 14 Prime Ministers have guided India through crucial turning points, from Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision of a modern, industrialized nation to Narendra Modi’s sweeping reforms.
Honnorbale P.M. Narendra Modi will stands as India’s longest-serving consecutive-term Prime Minister, with over 4,398 consecutive days in office, surpassing Indira Gandhi’s 4,077-day tenure. On June 10, 2026, Modi completes 12 years and 15 days in office, marking the longest uninterrupted single-term stretch by any Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru’s 17-year tenure.
In this post, we revisit some of the most historic decisions taken by these leaders — choices that shaped India’s economy, society, and global standing.
All these achievements would not be possible without the steps and decisions taken by our past and current leaders. We at GrabOn decided to list out the leaders of our great nation and their achievements during their tenure in office. This Republic Day, don’t just know the leaders of the nation. Also, know what they did for the country. Their achievements, welfare schemes, their bold moves, etc, are something you shouldn’t miss! Read further…
Narendra Modi
Tenure: 26th May 2014- Present
About Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi has become the most popular Prime Minister of India since he was elected as the 14th Prime Minister. He becomes the longest-running Prime Minister in the country’s history, holding the office for over 4,398 consecutive days. On June 10, 2026, he achieves a historic milestone, completing the longest single uninterrupted term as Prime Minister in modern India’s history. This popularity is attributed to his personality, schemes, and economic reforms, which have contributed to our country becoming one of the most influential nations globally.
After he was elected as the prime minister, he took various bold decisions, like the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir, the Triple Talaq Bill 2019, the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan, the New Education Policy (NEP 2020), Operation Sindoor, and Operation Mahadev against Pakistan’s terrorists after the infamous Pahalgam Terrorist Attack 2025.
And, if we look at India’s foreign policies during Narendra Modi’s tenure, it is straightforward and firm. The best thing about foreign affairs is that he chose some of the best minds, like our Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar. His presence of mind and deep knowledge about foreign relations helped India maintain a neutral stand during various world conflicts, like the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Israel-Iran conflict, and the US-Venezuela conflict. Our relations with China are also improving, which will be great for the region.
Apart from the foreign policy, during the tenure of Narendra Modi, we have seen tremendous growth in our exports. In 2025, the Indian government signed a Free Trade Agreement with multiple countries, including the UK, Oman, and New Zealand. We are also negotiating a trade deal with the United States; however, due to the tariff imposed by Donald Trump, it is getting delayed. These FTAs played an important role in the growth of India’s GDP, and today, we stand as the fourth-largest economy globally. And, our country did this by surpassing the UK, which once ruled over us for 200 years.
In the past 12 years, Indian Railways has made huge progress in electrifying the railway tracks. Till December 2025, it has electrified up to 99.2% of the tracks. Narendra Modi’s government has put infrastructure growth on its priorities. In 2025, the Indian Government inaugurated the famous Chenab Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir. This will connect the union territory with mainland India. In addition to these projects, the Indian Railways is also working on over 42 major projects nationwide.
Place of Birth: Vadnagar, Gujarat
Qualification: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, School of Open Learning at the University of Delhi
Narendra Modi’s Notable Achievements
- Signed the historic Free Trade Agreements with the UK, Oman, and New Zealand in 2025. This means most of India’s exports to these countries will become tariff-free.
- Inaugurated 7 new Vande Bharat trains in 2025. Till November 2025, over 160 Vande Bharat trains are operating in India. The Vande Bharat Sleeper version will be operational in 2026.
- Inaugurated 103 redeveloped railway stations across 18 states under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The project cost was around ₹1,100 crore, and the government has plans to redevelop 1,275 stations.
- Started multiple infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu worth ₹4,900 crore.
- Launched Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev to destroy terrorist camps in Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam Attack.
- India surpassed Japan to become the 4th largest economy worldwide in 2025. Our nominal GDP is projected to reach $4.5 trillion, while PPP GDP is estimated at $19.14 trillion in 2026, ranking third globally.
- Inaugurated the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge, which is 321 meters tall.
- Inaugurated India’s longest sea bridge, Atal Setu, which has a length of 21.8 km, out of which 16.5 km is a sea link.
- Introduced 3 new bills to replace the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and Indian Evidence Act, with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, respectively.
- With the success of Chandrayaan-3, India became the first country in the world to successfully make a soft landing on the South Pole of the Moon.
- India became the President of G20 in 2023, and the 18th G20 Summit was held at Bharat Mandapam on the 9th and 10th of September 2023.
- An increment in the Global Innovation Index of India from 81st rank in 2014 to 38th in 2024.
- Introduced UPI in various foreign countries, like Bhutan, Nepal, Oman, UAE, Southeast Asian countries, the UK, France, etc.
- PM Kisan scheme to benefit over 14.5 crore farmers.
- Introduced the new National Education Policy (NEP) of India in 2020. This policy comes with the 5+3+3+4 education system.
- Electrified 18,000 plus villages across the country in 988 days of the total 1000 days promised during the I-Day speech in 2015. All these villages were dark even after 70-plus years of India receiving its Independence.
- The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao movement aims to promote girls’ education.
- Launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to offer cooking gas connections for free to all the poor in society.
- He also fulfilled one of his biggest poll promises of launching a new Jal Shakti Ministry that addresses all aspects regarding water resources.
- The mass moment, the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’, witnessed massive participation with several UTs and States becoming Open Defecation Free (ODF). The extent of sanitation touched 99% from 38%.
- Make in India and Digital India campaign to improve the country’s online infrastructure and make India a global manufacturing leader.
- Started Ayushman Bharat to provide free medical treatment to the targeted sections.
Why It Still Matters Today
- UPI now processes over 18 billion transactions every month and is live in 7 countries, India’s most visible soft-power export, built entirely on this government’s digital push.
- Ayushman Bharat has issued over 34 crore health cards, making it the world’s largest government-funded health insurance scheme.
- The Article 370 abrogation continues to shape J&K’s political and economic landscape, investment inflows, tourism records, and the statehood question are all live issues as of 2026.
Dr Manmohan Singh
Tenure: 22nd May 2004- 26th May 2014
About Manmohan Singh
Considered to be India’s best Finance Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh is considered to be one of the best economists in the country. He joined the Indian government an Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce. He also held various portfolios such as Advisor to the Prime Minister, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As the Prime Minister of the country, he was in charge of some of the biggest changes in the country.
Place of birth: Gah, Pakistan
Qualification: Bachelor’s and Master’s in Economics
Dr. Manmohan’s Notable Achievements
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Fastest Growth & Poverty Drop
GDP growth averaged 8%; poverty fell from 37% to 22%. 180M people exited poverty.
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MGNREGA Launch
World’s largest rural employment scheme; over 2B person-days of work annually.
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RTI Act (2005)
Empowered citizens to file 4-5M requests/year, unearthing scams and boosting transparency.
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US-India Nuclear Deal
NSG waiver ended nuclear isolation, enabling global civil nuclear trade.
Why It Still Matters Today
- Aadhaar, seeded under his government in 2009, now covers 1.38 billion Indians and has saved an estimated ₹2.23 lakh crore in subsidy leakages, it is the backbone of every direct benefit transfer scheme running today.
- MGNREGA still employs over 3.5 crore households annually, and its biggest unintended effect is visible in rural wages: it created a floor that raised agricultural wages 6–7% per year through the 2010s.
- RTI continues to be one of India’s most powerful accountability tools — over 60 lakh applications are filed every year, exposing everything from local corruption to defence procurement irregularities.
Inder Kumar Gujral
Tenure: 21st April 1997- 19th March 1998
About Inder Kumar Gujral
Famous for implementing the Gujral Doctrine, Mr. I.K Gujral was also in office for 10 months. Mr. I.K Gujral held important positions including Minister of External Affairs, Water Resources Minister and Minister of Information and Broadcasting before handling the PM office. Gujral was also a part of India’s freedom struggle and was jailed for taking part in the Quit India Movement.
Place of Birth: Jhelum, Present Day Pakistan
Qualification: Bachelor of Commerce, Punjab University
Inder Kumar Gujral’s Notable Achievements
- Gujral Doctrine
No-reciprocity approach to South Asia. Signed the Ganga Treaty with Bangladesh.
- Media Freedom
Enabled private FM radio and repealed restrictive press proposals.
Why It Still Matters Today
- The Ganga Water Treaty (Farakka) he signed with Bangladesh in 1996 still governs water-sharing between the two countries, it became a contentious diplomatic issue again in 2024 after Bangladesh’s political transition.
- His doctrine of non-reciprocity with smaller neighbours, give without expecting in return, is still cited as a model for India’s Neighbourhood First policy, even if it is rarely followed with the same consistency.
Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda
Tenure: 1st June 1996- 21st April 1997
About Haradanahalli Doddegowda
Holding the post for 10 months, Mr Gowda was also the head of the United Front Government. In these 10 months of tenure, he was also the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the United Front. This was the highest body which was in charge of all the constituents of the ruling front. During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, he successfully led the government by tackling many issues.
Place of Birth: Haradanahalli, Karnataka
Qualification: Diploma in civil engineering from L. V. Polytechnic
Haradanhalli Doddegowda
- Reform Continuity
GDP grew 7.8%; Dream Budget slashed tax rates. FDI and forex inflows rose.
- TRAI Establishment
Telecom regulatory authority created, leading to telecom boom.
Why It Still Matters Today
- TRAI, established under his watch, today regulates over 1.17 billion telecom subscribers, one of the largest telecom markets in the world. Without an independent regulator in place, the competitive spectrum auctions that enabled Jio’s disruptive ₹1/GB data pricing in 2016 would not have been structurally possible.
- The 1997 Dream Budget’s tax rate cuts, income tax slashed, corporate tax simplified, set the template for supply-side fiscal thinking that every subsequent government has used.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Tenure: 16th May 1996- 1st June 1996; 19th March 1998- 10th October 1999; 10th October 1999- 22nd May 2004
About Atal Bihari Vajpayee
One of the most recognised politicians in India, Mr Vajpayee was the first non-Congress Prime Minister to hold office for a full term. He was one of the co-founders and the first President of the currently ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Under his tenure as the PM, India transitioned into a new era and saw a lot of changes. His government made efforts to enhance the digital connectivity in the country and made India a ‘software superpower’.
Place of Birth: Gwalior
Qualification: BA in Hindi, English and Sanskrit and MA in political science
His other key achievements include:
Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Notable Achievements
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Pokhran-II Nuclear Tests
Declared India a nuclear state; 5 tests conducted, followed by a no-first-use pledge.
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Golden Quadrilateral Highways
5,846 km of highways built, reducing travel time and boosting logistics.
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Kargil War Leadership
India successfully evicted Pakistani infiltrators; 527 soldiers martyred.
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Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
Launched universal education drive; primary enrollment rose to 96%.
Why It Still Matters Today
- The Golden Quadrilateral is the physical spine of India’s logistics economy. The country’s logistics sector, now worth ~$215 billion, grew on the back of these highways — and Modi’s PM Gati Shakti (2021) is explicitly the next chapter of what Vajpayee began.
- Pokhran-II fundamentally altered South Asia’s strategic balance. India’s nuclear deterrent — which anchors its posture toward both Pakistan and China — is a direct product of the 1998 tests. Every subsequent arms control and N-deal negotiation flows from that decision.
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan raised primary school enrollment to 96% — a foundation that later enabled programmes like mid-day meals and ultimately the Right to Education Act (2009).
P.V Narasimha Rao
Tenure: 21st June 1991-16th May 1996
About P.V Narasimha Rao
Referred to as the Father of Indian Economic Reforms, Narasimha Rao was instrumental to India’s growth and globalisation. Before becoming the PM of India, he was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. He also held various portfolios in Andhra Pradesh’s cabinet and was responsible for major reforms in the state. Under his Prime Ministership, India experienced a shift in its economic model; going from a mixed economy to a market economy.
Place of Birth: Laknepally, Telangana
Qualification: Master’s degree in law, Hislop College
P.V. Narsimha Rao Notable Achievements
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1991 Economic Reforms
Ended License Raj, liberalized trade, allowed FDI, and devalued the rupee. GDP jumped from 1.1% to 7.3% in 3 years.
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Panchayati Raj Amendments
The 73rd & 74th Amendments empowered 3M+ local reps, reserving 33% seats for women.
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Look East & Israel Ties
Launched the Look East policy and established diplomatic ties with Israel.
Why It Still Matters Today
- India’s GDP was $270 billion in 1991. In 2026, it stands at approximately $3.9 trillion. That entire trajectory, the IT industry, private banks, telecom competition, FDI inflows, traces back to the 1991 reforms Rao and Manmohan Singh executed together.
- His Look East Policy became Modi’s Act East Policy. ASEAN is now India’s 4th largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $130 billion annually.
- The Panchayati Raj amendments he passed now govern over 2.5 lakh gram panchayats. The 33% reservation for women he introduced has put over 14 lakh elected women representatives in local governance, the largest such experiment in democracy globally.
Chandra Shekhar Singh
Tenure: 10th November 1990- 21st June 1991
About Chandra Shekhar Singh
The second shortest tenure after Mr. Charan Singh, Chandra Shekhar’s tenure lasted a little over 7 months. He was attracted to politics from a young age and was known for his revolutionary ideas revolving around the politics of social change. He also held the post of Minister of Home Affairs during his period in the office of Prime Minister. Due to the political instability at that point, he couldn’t contribute much.
Place of Birth: Ibrahimpatti
Qualification: Bachelor of Arts, Satish Chandra PG College and Master’s in political science, Allahabad University
Chandra Shekhar Singh’s Notable Achievements
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Gold Pledge to Avert Default
Airlifted 47 tonnes of gold to secure emergency IMF loan. Reserves were at a 2-week import cover.
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Reform Blueprint
Initiated stabilization steps that paved the way for 1991 liberalization.
Why It Still Matters Today
- The 1991 gold airlift was a national humiliation — but it was the direct trigger for the liberalisation reforms that followed. India’s policymakers resolved that it would never happen again. Today, India’s forex reserves stand at over $640 billion, enough for 11+ months of imports — a deliberate overcorrection born from that crisis.
- The stabilisation steps Chandra Shekhar initiated gave the next government (Rao’s) the political cover and technical groundwork to push through the big-bang 1991 reforms within weeks of taking office.
Vishwanath Pratap Singh
Tenure: 2nd December 1989- 10th November 1990
About Vishwanath Pratap Singh
The 7th Prime Minister of India, Vishwanath Pratap Singh started his political journey at the age of 10. Before becoming the PM, he was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He also held various portfolios in the union cabinet such as Minister of Commerce and Minister of Finance and Defence. Known for the implementation of the Mandal Commission, during his Prime Ministership, Mr V.P Singh’s short tenure of 11 months was full of interesting developments.
Place of Birth: Prayagraj
Qualification: B.Sc from University of Pune and B.A., L.L.B from Allahabad University
Vishwaath Pratap Singh’s Notable Achievements
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Mandal Commission Implementation
Granted 27% OBC job reservations, empowering 40% of the population.
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Anti-Corruption Focus
Pushed the Bofors probe and enacted the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Why It Still Matters Today
- The Mandal Commission implementation remains the single most consequential act in post-independence social policy. OBC reservations reshaped electoral politics permanently, today, no national party can win without an explicit OBC strategy. Every caste census debate, including the Bihar survey of 2023-24, is a continuation of the Mandal conversation VP Singh started.
- His decision also triggered a counter-movement that accelerated the BJP’s Ram Mandir campaign in 1990, meaning two of the biggest forces in Indian politics today (OBC mobilisation and Hindutva) both trace their modern political form to decisions made during his 11-month tenure.
Rajiv Gandhi
Tenure: 31st October 1984- 2nd December 1989
About Rajiv Gandhi
Part of the Gandhi-Nehru family, Rajiv Gandhi was the son of Indira Gandhi. After his brother, Mr Sanjay Gandhi, died in an aeroplane crash, Rajiv Gandhi decided to enter politics. He was (and still is) the youngest person to hold the post of Prime Minister in India. Having acquired a commercial pilot’s license, Rajiv also worked for Indian Airlines. As a PM, he is often credited with contributing the most towards India’s IT revolution.
Place of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Qualification: B.Tech, Trinity College (dropped out)
Rajiv Gandhi’s Notable Achievements
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Telecom & Computer Reforms
Set up C-DOT and liberalized IT imports, sparking a digital revolution.
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Anti-Defection Law & Voting Age
Introduced the 52nd Amendment (anti-defection) and lowered the voting age to 18, adding ~35M new voters.
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Assam & Punjab Peace Accords
Signed historic agreements reducing militancy and restoring state stability.
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Early Economic Liberalization
Industrial licensing eased and tax rates cut, raising GDP growth to 5.5%.
Why It Still Matters Today
- India’s IT and software export industry, worth $245 billion in FY2025 and employing over 5 million people, is the direct descendant of Rajiv Gandhi’s 1984-89 computer policy. He removed import duties on computers and set up C-DOT at a time when most of the world still saw computing as a Western monopoly.
- Lowering the voting age to 18 added roughly 50 million voters in the 1989 election. Today, the 18-25 age group comprises approximately 180 million voters and is the most fiercely contested demographic in every general election.
- The anti-defection law he introduced (52nd Amendment) still governs political stability in Parliament and state assemblies, though it is regularly tested, it remains the primary check against floor-crossing.
Charan Singh
Tenure: 28th July 1979- 14th January 1980
About Charan Singh
Considered to be the champion of peasants, Chaudhary Charan Singh enjoyed a brief time in the office. A lawyer by profession, Singh served Uttar Pradesh in various capacities and was known for raising his voice against corruption, nepotism and inefficiency in the administrator. He is also the man behind major land reforms in UP. He was an avid reader and author of several books including ‘Abolition of Zamindari’.
Place of Birth: Hapur
Qualification: L.L.B and Master’s in Arts from Agra University
Charan Singh’s Notable Achievements
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Pro-Farmer Reforms
Architect of UP’s Zamindari Abolition Act. Focused on land reforms, rural investment, and farm support prices.
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Cottage Industries & Rural Development
Backed rural industries and banking access, laying the groundwork for future rural empowerment.
Why It Still Matters Today
- Charan Singh never got to present a single budget, his government fell before that. Yet his agrarian ideology became the template for every farm loan waiver that followed, from the UPA’s ₹71,000 crore waiver in 2008 to the state-level waivers announced before elections as recently as 2024.
- His land reform work in UP (Zamindari Abolition Act, 1950) gave millions of small farmers direct ownership of land, a social transformation whose effects are still visible in western UP’s rural political economy today.
Morarji Desai
Tenure: 24th March 1977- 28th July 1979
About Morarji Desai
The first Indian PM who was not from the Congress party, Morarji Desai was (and still is) the oldest person to hold the Prime Minister’s office. A renowned independence activist, Desai led the government formed by the Janata Party. Before serving as the PM, he was the 2nd Chief Minister of Bombay State from 1952 to 1956.
Place of Birth: Valsad
Qualification: Graduated from Wilson College, Mumbai
In his two years in office as India’s Prime Minister, he brought about some major reforms.
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Shah Commission Inquiry
Investigated Emergency abuses, restoring democratic institutions.
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Diplomatic Outreach
First Indian PM to visit Pakistan and normalize ties with China post-1962.
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Nuclear Restraint
Maintained a moratorium on nuclear weapons development, advocating disarmament.
Why It Still Matters Today
- Morarji Desai demonetised ₹1,000, ₹5,000, and ₹10,000 notes in 1978 to curb black money, India’s first demonetisation. When Modi demonetised ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes in 2016, commentators immediately drew comparisons; the debate about its effectiveness echoed the same arguments from nearly four decades earlier.
- The Shah Commission he set up to investigate Emergency excesses produced India’s most detailed official account of executive overreach. Its findings shaped the 44th Constitutional Amendment (1978), which made it significantly harder for any future government to declare and sustain an Emergency, a safeguard that remains in force today.
Indira Gandhi
Tenure: 24th January 1966 to 24 March 1977; 14th January 1980 to 31st October 1984
About Indira Gandhi
Known as the Iron Lady of India, Indira Gandhi is the only female Prime Minister of India. Before becoming the Prime Minister, she served as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting from 1964 to 1966. Besides serving as the PM of India, she concurrently held various portfolios including Minister of Atomic Energy, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of External Affairs. A central figure in Indian politics, Indira Gandhi brought in a lot of changes.
Place of Birth: Prayagraj
Qualification: Visva-Bharati University (dropped out) and Somerville College, Oxford (dropped out)
Indira Gandhi’s Notable Achievements
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Bank Nationalization (1969)
14 banks were nationalized, expanding credit access in rural areas. Agriculture loans rose from 2% to 13% by 1973.
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1971 War & Bangladesh Liberation
Led India to victory, resulting in Bangladesh’s creation and 93,000 Pakistani POWs—the largest surrender since WWII.
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Pokhran-I Nuclear Test (1974)
India’s first nuclear test made it the 6th nation with nuclear capability.
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Emergency (1975–77)
Suspended democracy and jailed over 140,000 people. Later led to constitutional limits on emergency powers.
Why It Still Matters Today
- Bank nationalisation’s legacy is double-edged. Public sector banks still hold approximately 60% of India’s banking assets, a massive reach into rural credit that no private bank matches. But the same model of government-directed lending produced the NPA (non-performing assets) crisis of 2015-2020, where bad loans crossed ₹10 lakh crore and required the largest bank recapitalisation in India’s history.
- The 1971 war and Bangladesh’s creation permanently established India as the dominant power in South Asia. It also created the dynamic of a two-front concern for Pakistan, a military calculus that still shapes South Asian security architecture today.
- The Emergency of 1975-77 left a constitutional scar that produced a permanent safeguard: the 44th Amendment made it far harder to suspend Fundamental Rights and required parliamentary approval every six months to continue an Emergency. Every Indian today benefits from that guardrail, even if most don’t know where it came from.
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Tenure: 9th June 1964 to 11th Jan 1966
About Lal Bahadur Shastri
Considered to be a leader of the masses, Lal Bahadur Shastri also served as the Railway Minister and Home Minister. In his two-year tenure, before his tragic death, he brought in some key achievements. His famous slogan ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan to cheer the soldiers and farmers was extremely popular.
Place of Birth: Mughalsarai
Qualification: Bachelor’s in philosophy and ethics, Vidyapith
Lal Bahadur Shastri’s Notable Achievements
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Green Revolution Kickstart
Faced with food shortages, Shastri promoted high-yield seeds and irrigation. Wheat output rose from 12M tons (1965) to 20M by 1970.
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Dairy Sector Boost
Founded NDDB in 1965, laying the groundwork for Operation Flood. India became the world’s top milk producer by the 1990s.
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1965 War Leadership
Successfully defended India in the 1965 war with Pakistan and signed the Tashkent Agreement.
Why It Still Matters Today
- The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) he founded in 1965 eventually powered Operation Flood, the programme that made India the world’s largest milk producer. In 2023-24, India produced over 239 million metric tonnes of milk. Amul, born from this ecosystem, is now a $9 billion brand.
- The Green Revolution he seeded created India’s wheat self-sufficiency, India even exported wheat to other nations. But it also created Punjab’s groundwater crisis: decades of paddy monoculture have depleted aquifers so severely that the state may face a water emergency within a generation. One decision, two very different 60-year outcomes.
Gulzarilal Nanda
Tenure: 27th May 1964 to 9th June 1964; 11th January to 24th January 1966
About Gulzarilal Nanda
Serving as the acting Prime Minister after the death of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Mr Nanda served the office for two months. Apart from being a politician, he was an economist who worked as a research scholar on labour issues. He also held the post of Union Minister for Labour and Employment. In his brief tenure, he did not sit quietly. Instead, he brought about numerous changes. Later, he was again appointed as the acting Prime Minister after the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri for 13 days.
Place of Birth: Sialkot, Pakistan
Qualification: Studies in Lahore, Agra and Allahabad. Research scholar on labour problems, University of Allahabad
Gulzarilal Nanda’s Notable Achievements
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Leadership During Crisis
Steered India through turbulent transitions as interim PM after the 1964 and 1966 deaths of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri. He ensured stability after the 1962 Indo-China and 1965 Indo-Pak wars.
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Labour Reforms Initiated
Pioneered modern labor policies as Union Labour Minister and improved industrial relations, strengthened trade unions, and pushed for fair wages and worker rights.
Why It Still Matters Today
- Gulzarilal Nanda’s most underrated contribution was what he did not do: in two moments of acute national crisis — the deaths of Nehru and Shastri — he ensured a smooth democratic transfer of power, resisting any temptation to extend his own tenure. In a newly independent nation with fragile institutions, that restraint set a precedent for peaceful succession that India has maintained ever since.
- The labour law frameworks he shaped as Union Labour Minister — including protections around retrenchment and industrial disputes — are the same laws currently at the centre of India’s labour reform debate. The government’s 2020 Labour Codes, which consolidated 44 central laws, were in part an attempt to rationalise the legacy system he helped build.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Tenure: 15th August 1947 to 27th May 1964
About Jawaharlal Nehru:
The longest-serving Prime Minister, Chacha Nehru (as he is fondly remembered) was a central figure in Indian politics, both before and after independence. Born on 14 November 1889, his significant focus was to enhance the country’s industrial sector for which he started the ‘five-year plan in 1951′.
Place of Birth: Prayagraj
Qualification: Graduated with an honours degree in natural science, from Trinity College
Jawaharlal Nehru’s Notable Achievements
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Non-Alignment in Foreign Policy
Nehru founded the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1961, allowing India to stay neutral during the Cold War. NAM grew to 121 members, representing two-thirds of UN members and over half of the global population.
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Five-Year Plans & Industrialization
Nehru launched state-led development with the First Five-Year Plan (1951–56), achieving 3.6% GDP growth (vs 2.1% projected). He established major dams and IITs, and the Second Plan focused on heavy industry with steel plants like Bhilai and Durgapur.
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States Reorganisation Act (1956)
Nehru redrew state boundaries based on languages, forming 14 states and 6 union territories. This balanced national unity with linguistic diversity.
The list can go on. Considering he was India’s first Prime Minister and served for 17 years, it is hardly a surprise.
Why It Still Matters Today
- The IITs Nehru established between 1951 and 1961 are today the single most influential institution in India’s economic rise. They produce engineers who built Silicon Valley, lead global tech companies, and seed India’s startup ecosystem, and they were conceived as state-led institutions at a time when India had almost no engineering infrastructure.
- His Non-Alignment strategy is more relevant now than it has been in decades. India’s ability to buy Russian oil during the 2022 Ukraine war sanctions, maintain ties with both Israel and Arab states, and negotiate with both the US and China simultaneously, all of it rests on the strategic autonomy doctrine Nehru established in the 1950s.
- The States Reorganisation Act (1956), which drew India’s internal map along linguistic lines, is why India held together as a democracy. Linguistic states gave regional identities a constitutional home within the union, defusing separatist pressures that might otherwise have fragmented the country.
So, that’s the country’s history. How well do you know the leaders who shaped our country?
