Kocheril R. Narayanan

President of India from 1997 to 2002 · India · Politicians · Lived 1920 to 2005 · aged 85

Kocheril R. Narayanan is read about 468 times a day, in 59 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 16 September 2026

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India's first Dalit president, elected in 1997 after decades as a diplomat Nehru called "the best in the country." He turned the ceremonial office combative - voting while in office, blocking governments, using discretion the constitution allowed but predecessors avoided.

Politicians Politician Politics 20th Century

A life in dates

2005Died9 November 20052001“The courts are no longer cathedrals. They are...casinos where the throw of the dice matters.”In their wordsLina Gonsalves in: Women and Human Rights, APH Publishing, 2001Read the whole statement

1999“The applications of science are inevitable and unquotable for all countries and people today. But something more than its application is necessary.”In their wordsQuoted from his book “In Nehru and His Vision 1999" in: K.K. Sinha, Social And Cultural Ethos Of India, Atlantic Publishers & Dist, 1Read the whole statement

1996“As the President of India, I had lots of experiences that were full of pain and helplessness. There were occasions when I could do nothing for people and for the nation.”In their wordsIn: S. S. Shashi Encyclopaedia Indica: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Volume 100, Anmol Publications, 1996, p. 260Read the whole statement

1920“I see and understand both the symbolic as well as the substantive elements of my life.”In their wordsIn: Venkitesh Ramakrishnan Citizen President K.R. Narayanan, 1920-2005, FrontlineRead the whole statement

Born27 October 1920

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

President Clinton with Indian president K. R. Narayanan (cropped)

Vladimir Putin in India 2-5 October 2000-14

BISMILA3 1s5-10-2008 15 45 20

HE Dato Paduka Haji Awang Abdul Mokti Bin Haji Mohd Daud

HE Haji Abdul Ghafar Bin Haji Ismail

K. R. Narayanan portrait 3x4

K. R. Narayanan portrait

In their own words 10

Kocheril R. Narayanan

10 statements, newest first

The courts are no longer cathedrals. They are...casinos where the throw of the dice matters.
2001, Lina Gonsalves in: Women and Human Rights, APH Publishing, 2001, Own words
The applications of science are inevitable and unquotable for all countries and people today. But something more than its application is necessary.
1999, Quoted from his book “In Nehru and His Vision 1999" in: K.K. Sinha, Social And Cultural Ethos Of India, Atlantic Publishers & Dist, 1, Own words
As the President of India, I had lots of experiences that were full of pain and helplessness. There were occasions when I could do nothing for people and for the nation.
1996, In: S. S. Shashi Encyclopaedia Indica: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Volume 100, Anmol Publications, 1996, p. 260, Own words

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Family

Kocheril R. Narayanan

Partners

Spouse Usha Narayanan

Child Chitra Narayanan

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About this person

Born in 1920 in Travancore to a Hindu family, Narayanan studied at the London School of Economics on scholarship after a brief journalism stint and joined Nehru's foreign service. He served as ambassador to the United States and China, building a reputation that brought him into politics at Indira Gandhi's invitation. He won three Lok Sabha elections and served as Minister of State under Rajiv Gandhi before becoming vice president in 1992. Elected president in 1997, he became the first Dalit to hold either office and styled himself a "working president" - not executive, not rubber-stamp. He deviated from precedent repeatedly: appointing a prime minister in a hung Parliament, dismissing a state government, asserting authority during the Kargil conflict, and voting in the 1998 election while in office. He presided over the golden jubilee of independence and remains the last Indian elected president while serving as vice president.

Country

India