National Presidents of INC

Indian National Congress (INC) is one of the Political Parties of India. It is the oldest political party in India. It has a big role in the independence of India. On 28th December 1885, INC was established by Allan Octavian Hume, William Wedderburn, Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee, and by the collaborative efforts of many leaders.

Here is the complete list of National Presidents of INC (Indian National Congress) from 1885 to 2020.

Have a look at the table given below to know more about National Presidents of INC in a very short time.

We have also provided a brief and informative description of Party Presidents one by one.

List of National Presidents of Indian National Congress

S. No.	Tenure	Name	Born	Died	Constituency/ State)	Nationality	Awards
1	1885	Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee	29-Dec-1844	21-Jul-1906	Bombay	India	–
2	1886	Sir Dadabhai Naoroji Dordi	04-Sep-1825	30-Jun-1917	Calcutta	India	–
3	1887	Badruddin Tyabji	10-Oct-1844	19-Aug-1906	Madras	India	–
4	1888	George Yule	1829	1892	Allahabad	Scotland	–
5	1889	Sir William Wedderburn	25-Mar-1838	25-Jan-1918	Bombay	Scotland	–
6	1890	Sir Pherozeshah Merwanjee Mehta	04-Aug-1845	05-Nov-1915	Calcutta	India	–
7	1891	Sir Panambakkam Ananda Charlu	1843	1908	Nagpur	India	–
8	1892 (2nd term)	Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee	29-Dec-1844	21-Jul-1906	Allahabad	India	–
9	1893 (2nd term)	Sir Dadabhai Naoroji Dordi	04-Sep-1825	30-Jun-1917	Lahore	India	–
10	1894	Alfred Webb	1834	1908	Madras	Ireland	–
11	1895	Sir Surendranath Banerjee	10-Nov-1848	06-Aug-1925	Poona	India	–
12	1896	Rahimtulla Mahomed Sayani	05-Apr-1847	06-Jun-1902	Calcutta	India	–
13	1897	Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair	11-Jul-1857	24-Apr-1934	Amravati	India	–
14	1898	Ananda Mohan Bose	23-Sep-1847	20-Aug-1906	Madras	India	–
15	1899	Romesh Chunder Dutt	13-Aug-1848	30-Nov-1909	Lucknow	India	–
16	1900	Sir Narayan Ganesh Chandavarkar	02-Dec-1855	14-May-1923	Lucknow	India	–
17	1991	Sir Dinshaw Edulji Wacha	02-Aug-1844	1936	Calcutta	India	–
18	1902 (2nd term)	Sir Surendranath Banerjee	10-Nov-1848	06-Aug-1925	Ahmedabad	India	–
19	1903	Lalmohan Ghosh	1849	18-Oct-1909	Madras	India	–
20	1904	Sir Henry John Stedman Cotton	13-Sep-1845	22-Oct-1915	Bombay	India, England	–
21	1905	Gopal Krishna Gokhale	09-May-1866	19-Feb-1915	Banaras	India	–
22	1906 (3rd term)	Sir Dadabhai Naoroji Dordi			Calcutta	India	–
23	1907-1908	Sir Rashbehari Ghosh	23-Dec-1845	28-Feb-1921	Surat, Madras	India	–
24	1909	Madan Mohan Malaviya	25-Dec-1861	12-Nov-1946	Lahore	India	Bharat Ratna (2015)
25	1910 (2nd term)	Sir William Wedderburn	25-Mar-1838	25-Jan-1918	Allahabad	Scotland	–
26	1911	Bishan Narayan Dar	1864	1916	Calcutta	India	–
27	1912	Raghunath Narasinha Mudholkar	16-May-1857	13-Jan-1921	Bankipur		–
28	1913	Nawab Syed Muhammad Bahadur	1867	12-Feb-1919	Karachi	India	–
29	1914	Bhupendra Nath Bose	13-Jan-1859	13-Sep-1924		India	–
30	1915	Satyendra Prasanna Sinha	24-Mar-1863	04-Mar-1928	Bombay	India	–
31	1916	Ambica Charan Mazumdar	1850	1922	Lucknow	India	–
32	1917	Annie Besant	01-Oct-1847	20-Sep- 1933	Calcutta	England	–
33	1918 (2nd term)	Madan Mohan Malaviya	25-Dec-1861	12-Nov-1946	Delhi	India	Bharat Ratna (2015)
34	1918 (Special Session)	Syed Hasan Imam	31-Aug-1871	19-Apr-1933	Bombay	India	–
35	1919	Motilal Nehru	06-May-1861	06-Feb-1931	Amritsar	India	–
36	9120 (Special Session)	Lala Lajpat Rai	28-Jan-1865	17-Nov-1928	Calcutta	India	–
37	1920	Chakravarti Vijayaraghavachariar	18-Jun-1852	19-Apr-1944	Nagpur	India	–
38	1921	Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das	05-Nov-1870	16-Jun-1925	Ahmedabad	India	–
38	1921	Hakim Ajmal Khan (Acting President for D.C. Das)	11-Feb-1868	29-Dec-1927	Ahmedabad	India	–
39	1922	Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das	05-Nov-1870	16-Jun-1925	Gaya	India	–
40	1923	Mohammad Ali Jauhar	10-Dec-1878	04-Jan-1931		India	–
40	1923	Maulana Abul Kalam Azad	11-Nov-1888	22-Feb-1958	Delhi	India	Bharat Ratna (1992)
41	1924	Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi	02-Oct-1869	30-Jan-1948	Belgaum	India	–
42	1925	Sarojini Naidu	13-Feb-1879	02-Mar-1949	Kanpur	India	–
43	1926	Seshadri Srinivasa Iyengar	01-Sep-1874	19-May-1941	Gauhati	India	–
44	1927	Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari	25-Dec-1880	10-May-1936	Madras	India	–
45	1928 (2nd term)	Motilal Nehru	06-May-1861	06-Feb-1931	Calcutta	India	–
46	1929-1930	Jawaharlal Nehru	14-Nov-1889	27-May-1964	Lahore	India	Bharat Ratna (1955)
47	1931	Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel	31-Oct-1875	15-Dec-1950	Karachi	India	Bharat Ratna (1991)
48	1932 (3rd term)	Madan Mohan Malaviya	25-Dec-1861	12-Nov-1946	Delhi	India	Bharat Ratna (2015)
49	1933	Nellie Sengupta	12-Jan-1886	23-Oct-1973	Calcutta	England	–
50	1934-1935	Rajendra Prasad	03-Dec-1884	28-Feb-1963	Bombay	India	Bharat Ratna (1962)
51	1936-1937 (2nd term)	Jawaharlal Nehru	14-Nov-1889	27-May-1964	Lucknow, Faizpur	India	Bharat Ratna (1955)
52	1938	Subhas Chandra Bose	23-Jan-1897	18-Aug-1945	Haripura	India	–
53	1939	Subhas Chandra Bose (Resigned)	23-Jan-1897	18-Aug-1945	Tripuri	India	–
53	1939	Rajendra Prasad (Replaced S.C. Bose; 2nd term)	03-Dec-1884	28-Feb-1963	Tripuri	India	Bharat Ratna (1962)
54	1940-1945	Maulana Abul Kalam Azad	11-Nov-1888	22-Feb-1958	Ramgarh	India	Bharat Ratna (1992)
55	1946 (3rd term)	Jawaharlal Nehru	14-Nov-1889	27-May-1964		India	Bharat Ratna (1955)
56	1947	Jivatram Bhagwandas Kripalani	11-Nov-1888	19-Mar-1982	Meerut	India	–
57	1948-1949	Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya	24-Nov-1880	17-Dec-1959	Jaipur	India	–
58	1950	Purushottam Das Tandon	01-Aug-1882	01-Jul-1962	Nasik	India	Bharat Ratna (1961)
59	1951-1954 (4th term)	Jawaharlal Nehru	14-Nov-1889	27-May-1964		India	Bharat Ratna (1955)
60	1955-1959	Uchharangrai Navalshankar Dhebar	21-Sep-1905	1977		India	Padma Vibhushan (1973)
61	1959	Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi	19-Nov-1917	31-Oct-1984		India	Bharat Ratna (1971) Bangladesh Freedom Honour (2011)
62	1960-1963	Neelam Sanjiva Reddy	19-May-1913	01-Jun-1996	Bangalore (1960), Bhavnagar (1961), Patna (1962)	India	–
63	1964-1967	Kumaraswami Kamaraj	15-Jul-1903	02-Oct-1975		India	Bharat Ratna (1976) Copper Bond Award (1972)
64	1968-1969	Siddavanahalli Nijalingappa	10-Dec-1902	08-Aug-2000	Hyderabad (1968) Faridabad (1969)	India	–
65	1970-1971	Jagjivan Ram	05-Apr-1908	06-Jul-1986	Bombay	India	–
66	1972-1974	Shankar Dayal Sharma	19-Aug-1918	26-Dec-1999	Calcutta	India	–
67	1975-1977	Dev Kant Barooah	22-Feb-1914	28-Jan-1996	Chandigarh	India	–
68	1977-1978	Kasu Brahmananda Reddy	28-Jul-1909	20-May-1994		India	–
69	1978-1984	Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi	19-Nov-1917	31-Oct-1984	New Delhi (1978) Calcutta (1983)	India	Bharat Ratna (1971) Bangladesh Freedom Honour (2011)
70	1985-1991	Rajiv Gandhi	20-Aug-1944	21-May-1991	Bombay (1985)	India	Bharat Ratna (1991)
71	1991-1996	Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao	28-Jun-1921	23-Dec-2004	Tirupati (1992)	India	–
72	1996-1998	Sitaram Kesri	15-Nov-1919	24-Oct-2000	Calcutta (1997)	India	–
73	1999-2017	Sonia Gandhi	09-Dec-1946			Italy	–
74	2017-2019	Rahul Gandhi	19-Jun-1970			India	–
75	2019-Present (2nd term)	Sonia Gandhi	09-Dec-1946			Italy	–

Brief Information about National Presidents of INC

1. Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee

Late Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee was the first President of the Indian National Congress. He was born on 29 December 1844 in Kolkata. He completed his Law Degree in Middle Temple, England. He was an eminent lawyer and Co-founder of the Indian National Congress. In 1885, he addressed and presided the first Indian National Congress Session in Bombay (Currently Mumbai). It was a two-day session from 28th December to 31st December. In 1886 in the second session of Congress, he proposed the idea of standing committees for provinces.

As per his proposal, these standing committees will be helpful for maintaining the cordial relationship in political matters. In 1892, Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee again became the President of the Indian National Congress in Allahabad Session. After that, he moved to England and continued his Law Practice. He took his last breath on 21 July 1906 in London, England. Late Shri Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee was the first Indian to act as a Standing Counsel; he worked as the President of the Law Faculty of Calcutta University.

2. Sir Dadabhai NaorojiDordi

Sir Dadabhai Naoroji Dordi was one of the founding members of the Indian National Congress and President of INC. He was known as “Grand Old Man of India” and “Unofficial Ambassador of India”. He was born on 4 September 1825 in Navsari in a Zoroastrian or Parsi Family. He completed his higher studies from Mumbai University. His glorious personality not only respected by Indians but he was honored by Britishers too.

Sir Dadabhai Naoroji presided the Indian National Congress in the year 1886 in Calcutta Session, in 1893 in the Lahore session, and in 1906 in Calcutta Session.He was the first Indian to gain a Parliamentary position in Britain. He died on 30th June 1917 but his legacy still continues. People remember their theories and ideologies. There are various roads and buildings named after him. His writings were regarded as the most important phase of the Indian Independence Movement.

3. Badruddin Tyabji

Badruddin Tyabji was an active Member of INC and served the position as President of the Party. He was born on 10 October 1844 in Bombay (Currently Mumbai) to Mullah Tyab Ali Bhai Mian. He completed his Law Degree from Middle Temple, London. In 1867, he returned back to India from England and became the Barrister in the High Court of Bombay. He was the first Indian Barrister to join the High Court of Bombay. He credited for setting up the Bombay Presidency Association with Pherozeshah Mehta and Kashinath Trimbak Telang in the year 1885.

Badruddin Tyabji was elected as Party President of INC in the year 1887 in Madras session. He addressed the Madras Session of Congress and he focused on the unity among the Muslim Community. In 1888 Congress Session, he addressed the meeting by introducing the Resolution XIII. In the year 1895, Badruddin Tyabji became the judge of Bombay High Court. Apart from being a Lawyer, Activist, and politician, Badruddin Tyabji was a social reformer too. He took his last breath on 19 August 1906 in England.

4. George Yule

George Yule was a Merchant who was hailing from Scotland and he presided the INC. George Yule was born in 1829 in Scotland. In 1855, George Yule moved to England for Business purposes. In 1888, he presided the Indian National Congress in its Allahabad Session. He was the first Non-Indian person to be elected as the President of Congress. He was completely unfamiliar with Indian for being the president of INC. Late Shri W. C. Bonnerjee invited him to address the Allahabad session of INC as president. George Yule founded the George Yule & Company in London. In 1892, George Yule died at a very early age.

5. Sir William Wedderburn

Sir William Wedderburn was credited as one of the founding members of INC and he presided the Party twice. He was born on 25 March 1838 in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK to Sir John Wedderburn, he completed his education from Edinburgh University. He joined the Indian government as a Civil Servant. In 1889, He presided the Indian National Congress at Bombay Session. Again in 1910, Sir William became the President of the INC in Allahabad Session. He tried to resolve the Hindu Muslim issue in the Allahabad Session. Sir William Wedderburn died on 25 January 1918 at Meredith, Gloucestershire.

6. Sir Pherozeshah Merwanjee Mehta

Sir Pherozeshah Merwanjee Mehta was an eminent lawyer and was the Municipal Commissioner. He was also one of the ex-presidents of the Indian National Congress. He was born on 4 August 1845 in Bombay (Currently Mumbai)in a business family. Pherozeshah Mehta completed his Masters from Bombay University. He was the first person from his community to complete an Honors Degree in six months.

For his achievement, he was offered a Scholarship from Europe. He completed his Law Degree from England. In 1885, he was elected as the president of the Bombay Presidency Association. He was among one of the founders of INC. Mehta became the President of the Indian National Congress in the year 1890. For his contribution towards Mumbai or Bombay, he got the title of “The Lion of Bombay” and “Uncrowned King of Bombay”. He left this world on 5 November 1915 in Bombay.

7. Sir Panapakkam Anandacharlu

Sir Panapakkam Anandacharlu played a crucial role in the Indian Freedom movement and he was also a president of INC. he was born in August 1843 in Kattamanchi, Madras Presidency. He was a lawyer and he began his career as a lawyer in the year 1869. He joined the Chamber of the Madras High Court. Sir Anandacharlu was awarded by Companion of the Indian Empire award in the year 1897.

Sir Anandacharlu was a keen interest in Politics from a very young age. He established the Triplicane Literary Society and the Madras Mahajana Sabha in the year 1884. In 1891, he became the President of Congress and addressed the Nagpur Session. He was among 72 delegates that were involved in the first session of Congress. He died in the year 1908.

8. Alfred John Webb

Alfred John Webb was belonging to Ireland and he was an active nationalist. He participated in many movements across the world and he was third Non-Indian President of Indian National Congress. He was born in 1834 to Richard Davis Webb and Hannah Waring Webb. He was deeply interested in literature and history.

His writings include ‘A Compendium of Irish Biography’. In 1892, he was elected in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. He was a friend of Dadabhai Naoroji. In 1894, Dadabhai Naoroji invited him to address the Indian National Congress, Madras Session as President. He left this world in 1908. He is remembered of his association: “The Society for the Furtherance of Human Brotherhood”.

9. Sir Surendranath Banerjee

Sir Surendranath Banerjee was one of the pro political leaders and founders of the Indian National Congress. He was born on 10 November 1848 in Kolkata. His father Durga Charan Banerjee was a renowned physician. He completed his higher studies from University College, London, and the Middle Temple. He also cleared Civil Services and joined as Assistant Magistrate in Sylhet.

On 26 July 1876, he founded the Indian National Association with Anandmohan Bose. He presided the Indian National Congress (INC) in the year 1895 in Poona Session. In 1902, he again addressed the Ahmadabad Session of INC as President. He played a crucial role in a protest against Bengal partition in the year 1905. He left this world on 6 August 1925, but his legacy still continues. He was one of the most highly respected leaders from the British Raj. Many Institutions are named after him; they are passing his legacy to generations.

10. Rahimtulla Mahomed Sayani

Rahimtulla Mahomed Sayani was a lawyer and a politician. He presided the Indian National Congress and he was an active member of the INC. He was born on 5 April 1847 in Kutch, Gujarat. He completed his Law Degree from foreign University. He was popular among the public as a lawyer.

He was elected as the Sheriff of Bombay Municipal Corporation in the year 1885. He served the Bombay Legislative Council and Imperial Legislative Council from 1896 to 1898. He attended the first session of INC in 1885. In 1896, he addressed the 12th Session of INC in Calcutta as President. He represented an elaborated view of the Economic and Financial structure during British Rule. He died on 6 June 1902.

11. Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair

Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair was the Advocate General of Madras Presidency and he was one of the President of INC. He was born on 11 July 1857 in Chettur Kerala to Manmayil Ramunni Panicker and Parvathy Amma Chettur. He completed his Law Degree from Presidency College, Madras.

In 1884 he joined as a member of an enquiry in Malabar State. He was an active participant in the Indian National Movement during the British Rule. In 1897, he presided the Indian National Congress in Amravati Session. He addressed the members and he asked the British Administrators for establishing Self-Government in Indian states. He left this world in 1934 at the age of 77 years.