India's Eleventh President

NAME: Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

BORN: October 15, 1931

PRESIDENCY: July 25, 2002 to July 25, 2007
One of the most distinguished scientists of India , Abdul Kalam is known as the Missile Man of India. He was born at Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu, and studied Aeronautical Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology. Kalam developed India`s first Satellite Launch Vehicle. He also developed and enabled operationalisation of Agni and Prithvi missiles. It was largely because of his efforts that India became a nuclear weapons` country. Befittingly, he has been bestowed with all the three civilian honours of the Nation. The 11th Prez is also credited with many firsts to his credit. He is the first President to be awarded the Bharat Ratna before he occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan, the first scientist to become the President and the first bachelor to be elected to the highest office of the land. He created history by flying the Sukhoi 30

India's Tenth President

NAME: Kocheril Raman Narayanan

BORN: October 27, 1920

DIED: November 9, 2005


PRESIDENCY: July 25, 1997 to July 25, 2002

A scholar and a writer, Narayanan was born in village Uzhavoor in Kottayam district of Kerala. He did his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English Literature from Travancore University, and later went on to study at the London School of Economics. After a stint in journalism, Narayanan joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1949 and served in Rangoon, Tokyo, London, Canberra and Hanoi. He was India's Ambassador to Thailand, Turkey, China, and eventually became Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in 1976. After retiring from Foreign Service, Narayanan became the Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1979. He was India's Ambassador to the United States from 1980 to 1984. Upon entering active politics, Narayanan became a Member of Parliament from 1985 to 1992. During this period, he served as Union Minister of State in the Central Cabinet holding diverse portfolios. Elected to the post of Vice-President in 1992, Narayanan became the President in 1997. The only Dalit, till date, to occupy the highest office of India, Narayanan presided over the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of India's freedom from British rule. He is also the first President to cast his vote in the 1998 General Elections.

India's Ninth President

NAME: Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma




BORN: August 19, 1918

DIED: December 26, 1999



PRESIDENCY: July 25, 1992 to July 25, 1997

Born in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Sharma studied in St. John's College, Agra; Allahabad University; Lucknow University; Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University; Lincoln's Inn, London and Harvard Law School, USA. He taught Law at Cambridge University in 1946-47. While in Britain, Sharma took active interest in India's struggle for Independence, and later joined the Indian National Congress. After India became a Republic, Sharma took over as the Chief Minister of Bhopal in 1952 before the state of Madhya Pradesh was formed. He also occupied the posts of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. Sharma was elected the Vice-President in 1987 and eventually the country's President in 1992. He is credited to have sworn in three prime ministers.