{{Short description|Chief executives of the INC}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox political post | post = President | body = the Indian National Congress | native_name = | insignia = Indian National Congress hand logo.svg | insigniasize = 150px | insigniacaption = | flag = | flagsize = 30 | flagborder = | flagcaption = | alt = | image = File:Mallikarjun Kharge briefing the media after presenting the Interim Railway Budget 2014-15 in New Delhi (cropped).jpg | imagesize = 200px | incumbent = Mallikarjun Kharge | acting = | incumbentsince = {{Start date|2022|10|26|df=yes}} | department = | style = | type = | status = | abbreviation = | reports_to = | nominator = | appointer = Committee consisting of members of the Indian National Congress from the National and State Committees | termlength = no term limit | constituting_instrument = Constitution of the Indian National Congress<ref name="CONSTITUTION">{{cite web |title=Constitution & Rules of the Indian National Congress |url=https://cdn.inc.in/constitutions/inc_constitution_files/000/000/001/original/Congress-Constitution.pdf?1505640610 |publisher=Indian National Congress |access-date=13 May 2021 |archive-date=13 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513160303/https://cdn.inc.in/constitutions/inc_constitution_files/000/000/001/original/Congress-Constitution.pdf?1505640610 |url-status=live }}</ref> | precursor = Sonia Gandhi (interim)<br>Rahul Gandhi | formation = {{Start date|1885|12|28|df=yes}} | last = | abolished = | succession = | unofficial_names = | deputy = | salary = | website = {{official website|www.inc.in}} }} {{Indian National Congress sidebar}}
The '''President of the Indian National Congress''' is the chief executive of the Indian National Congress (INC), one of the principal political parties in India, founded by retired British civil servant Allan Octavian Hume.<ref>'''Allan Octavian Hume'''</ref><ref name="CONSTITUTION"/> Constitutionally, the president is elected by an electoral college composed of members drawn from the Pradesh Congress Committees and members of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/congress-president-election-cwc-party-chief-rahul-gandhi-sonia-gandhi-7169318/|title=Explained: a Congress president – how these polls are meant to be held, how it plays out|last=C G|first=Manoj|date=3 February 2021|website=The Indian Express|access-date=22 May 2021|archive-date=5 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305014558/https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/congress-president-election-cwc-party-chief-rahul-gandhi-sonia-gandhi-7169318/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the event of any emergency because of any cause such as the death or resignation of the president elected as above, the most senior general secretary discharges the routine functions of the president until the Working Committee appoints a provisional president pending the election of a regular president by the AICC.<ref name="auto"/> The president of the party has effectively been the party's national leader, head of the party's organisation, head of the Working Committee, the chief spokesman, and all chief Congress committees.<ref name="Kumar1990">{{cite book|last=Kumar|first=Kedar Nath|title=Political Parties in India, Their Ideology and Organisation|url={{Google books|x3pJ8t4rxIsC|page=PA41|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=1 January 1990|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-205-9|pages=41–43}}</ref>
After the party's foundation in December 1885, Womesh Chandra Banerjee became its first president. From 1885 to 1933, the presidency had a term of one year only. From 1933 onwards, there was no such fixed term for the president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/theprint-profile/remembering-wc-bonnerjee-the-first-president-of-indian-national-congress/169499/|title=Remembering WC Bonnerjee, the first president of Indian National Congress|last=Mondal|first=Manisha|website=ThePrint |date=29 December 2018|access-date=28 May 2021|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214509/https://theprint.in/theprint-profile/remembering-wc-bonnerjee-the-first-president-of-indian-national-congress/169499/|url-status=live}}</ref> During Jawaharlal Nehru's premiership, he rarely held the Presidency of INC, even though he was always head of the Parliamentary Party. Despite being a party with a structure, Congress under Indira Gandhi did not hold any organisational elections after 1978.<ref>{{cite book|first=Vijay|last=Sanghvi|title=The Congress Indira to Sonia Gandhi|date=2006|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|location=Delhi|isbn=978-81-7835-340-1|page=128|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=npdqD_TXucQC&q=%22internal+democracy%22&pg=PA7|access-date=4 November 2016|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414155213/https://books.google.com/books?id=npdqD_TXucQC&q=%22internal+democracy%22&pg=PA7|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1978, Gandhi split from the INC and formed a new opposition party, popularly called Congress (I), which the national election commission declared to be the real Indian National Congress for the 1980 general election.<ref name="Basu2016">{{cite book|last=Basu|first=Manisha|title=The Rhetoric of Hindutva|url={{Google books|E7gtDQAAQBAJ|page=PA73|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}}|date=2 November 2016|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-107-14987-8|pages=73}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Statistical Report on General Elections, 1980 to the Seventh Lok Sabha |publisher=Election Commission of India |page=1 |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1980/Vol_I_LS_80.pdf |access-date=9 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718175926/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/LS_1980/Vol_I_LS_80.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2014}}</ref><ref name=name>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Postindependence: from dominance to decline|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/285841/Indian-National-Congress/232140/Postindependence-from-dominance-to-decline|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|date=23 September 2020|access-date=24 June 2014|archive-date=8 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508094509/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/285841/Indian-National-Congress/232140/Postindependence-from-dominance-to-decline|url-status=live}}</ref> Gandhi institutionalised the practice of having the same person as the Congress president and the prime minister of India after the formation of Congress (I).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19780131-indira-gandhi-installed-as-president-of-break-away-faction-of-congress-party-818678-2015-04-21|title=Indira Gandhi installed as president of break-away faction of Congress Party|last=Chakravartty|first=Nikhil|date=31 January 1978|website=India Today|access-date=22 May 2021|archive-date=14 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514160552/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19780131-indira-gandhi-installed-as-president-of-break-away-faction-of-congress-party-818678-2015-04-21|url-status=live}}</ref> Her successors Rajiv Gandhi and P. V. Narasimha Rao also continued that practice. Nonetheless, in 2004, when the Congress was voted back into power, Manmohan Singh became the first and only prime minister not to be the president of the party since establishment of the practice of the president holding both positions.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-insight/story/rahul-gandhi-congress-president-gandhi-chief-1564307-2019-07-08|title=Goodbye, Rahul Gandhi?|website=India Today|date=8 July 2019|last=Deka|first=Kaushik|access-date=22 May 2021|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513155138/https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/india-today-insight/story/rahul-gandhi-congress-president-gandhi-chief-1564307-2019-07-08|url-status=live}}</ref>
A total of 61 people have served as the president of the Indian National Congress since its formation.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/|title=Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents|date=5 December 2017|work=The Indian Express|access-date=6 June 2021|archive-date=14 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514161101/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/|url-status=live}}</ref> Sonia Gandhi is the longest serving president of the party, having held the office for over twenty years from 1998 to 2017 and from 2019 to 2022. The latest election of president was held on 17 October 2022,<ref>{{Cite news |title=Congress to elect new president on Oct 17, results on Oct 19 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/congress-to-elect-new-president-on-oct-17-results-on-oct-19/articleshow/93834242.cms |website=The Times of India|date=28 August 2022 }}</ref> in which Mallikarjun Kharge became the new president defeating Shashi Tharoor in the 2022 Indian National Congress presidential election.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 October 2022 |title=Mallikarjun Kharge Is Chief – Congress Sticks To What It Knows |publisher=NDTV |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/mallikarjun-kharge-is-new-congress-president-will-be-first-non-gandhi-to-hold-post-in-over-2-decades-3444883 |access-date=19 October 2022}}</ref>
==During the founding years (1885–1900)== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="calc(100%-23em)" |+ List of presidents during 1885–1900 |- !scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Number}} !scope="col" | Year(s) of presidency !class="sortable" | Leader !class="unsortable" | Portrait !scope="col" | Place of conference !class="unsortable" | Reference(s)<ref name="Modi Meetings(MM)">{{Cite web|title=Congress Sessions|publisher=All India Congress Committee |url=http://www.congress.org.in/congress-sessions.php|date=6 February 2010|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206045145/http://www.congress.org.in/congress-sessions.php|archive-date=6 February 2010|access-date=29 May 2021}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | 1 | December 1885 | Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee | 75px|alt=An image of Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee. | Bombay | <ref name="INC_BritishRaj1">{{cite book|last=Nanda|first=B. R.|author-link=Bal Ram Nanda|title=Gokhale: The Indian Moderates and the British Raj|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pI19BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA58|series=Legacy Series|quote=In 1874, he became Prime Minister of Baroda and was a member of the Legislative Council of Bombay (1885–88).2015|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-7049-3|page=58|year=1977|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=29 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729204414/https://books.google.com/books?id=pI19BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA58|url-status=live}}</ref><br /><ref name="Mahmud1994">{{cite book|last=Mahmud|first=Sayed Jafar|title=Pillars of Modern India, 1757–1947|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8XPyBqxwX8C&pg=PA19|year=1994|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-7024-586-5|page=19|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513055341/https://books.google.com/books?id=w8XPyBqxwX8C&pg=PA19|url-status=live}}</ref><br /><ref name="Womesh">{{cite web |title=W. C. Bonnerjee |url=https://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/w-c-bonnerjee |website=open.ac.uk |publisher=Open University |access-date=15 May 2021 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515141255/https://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/w-c-bonnerjee |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 2 | December 1886 |{{sortname|Dadabhai|Naoroji}} |75px|alt=An image of Dadabhai Naoroji. |Calcutta |<ref name="INC_BritishRaj">{{cite book|first=B. R.|last=Nanda|author-link=Bal Ram Nanda|title=Gokhale: The Indian Moderates and the British Raj|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pI19BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA58|series=Legacy Series|year=2015|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-7049-3|page=58|orig-year=1977|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=29 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729204414/https://books.google.com/books?id=pI19BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA58|url-status=live}}</ref><br /> |-
! scope="row" | 3 | December 1887 |{{sortname|Badruddin|Tyabji}} |75px|alt=An image of Badruddin Tyabji. |Madras |<ref name="Anonymous 1926 97–112">{{cite book|title=Eminent Mussalmans|author=Anonymous|year=1926|edition=1|publisher=G.A. Natesan & Co.|place=Madras|url=https://archive.org/stream/eminentmussalman031205mbp#page/n117/mode/2up|pages=97–112|oclc=462824439}}</ref><br /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00litlinks/txt_tyabji_congress_1887.html|title=Presidential speech to the Indian National Congress, 1887|last=Tyabji|first=Badruddin|publisher=Columbia University|access-date=1 May 2017|archive-date=22 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222145046/http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00litlinks/txt_tyabji_congress_1887.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 4 | December 1888 |{{sortname|George|Yule|George Yule (businessman)}} |75px|alt=An image of George Yule. |Allahabad |<ref name="HallRose2006">{{cite book|last=Hall|first=Catherine|author2=Sonya O. Rose|author2-link=Sonya O. Rose|title=At Home with the Empire: Metropolitan Culture and the Imperial World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2oVCvtC1zAEC&pg=PA281|date=2006|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-46009-5|page=281|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513055339/https://books.google.com/books?id=2oVCvtC1zAEC&pg=PA281|url-status=live}}</ref><br /> |-
! scope="row" | 5 | December 1889 |{{sortname|William|Wedderburn}} |75px|alt=An image of William Wedderburn. |Bombay |<ref name="Sessions">{{cite news |first=Hemant |last=Singh |title=List of Sessions of Indian National Congress before Independence (1885–1947) |url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-sessions-of-indian-national-congress-before-independence-1465561993-1 |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=Jagran Josh |date=8 April 2021 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515142512/https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-sessions-of-indian-national-congress-before-independence-1465561993-1 |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 6 | December 1890 |{{sortname|Pherozeshah|Mehta}} |75px|alt=An image of Pherozesha Mehta. |Calcutta |<ref name="Sessions"/> |-
! scope="row" | 7 | December 1891 |{{sortname|Panapakkam|Anandacharlu}} | |75px |Nagpur |<ref name="Profiles">{{cite news |title=Dadabhai Naoroji to Nehru; Indira to Sonia: Profiles of Congress presidents |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dadabhai-naoroji-to-nehru-indira-to-sonia-profiles-of-congress-presidents/story-LmoaxHk12wrsFvTubRrFpL.html |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |date=11 December 2017 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515141252/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dadabhai-naoroji-to-nehru-indira-to-sonia-profiles-of-congress-presidents/story-LmoaxHk12wrsFvTubRrFpL.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 8 | December 1892 | Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee | 75px|alt=An image of Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee. | Allahabad |<ref name="INC_BritishRaj1"/><br /><ref name="Mahmud1994"/><br /><ref name="Womesh"/> |-
! scope="row" | 9 | December 1893 | Dadabhai Naoroji | 75px|alt=An image of Dadabhai Naoroji. | Lahore |<ref name="INC_BritishRaj"/> |-
! scope="row" | 10 | December 1894 | {{sortname|Alfred|Webb}} |75px|alt=An image of Alfred Webb. | Madras |<ref name="Sessions"/> |-
! scope="row" | 11 | December 1895 |{{sortname|Surendranath|Banerjee}} | 75px|alt=An image of Surendranath Banerjee. | Poona |<ref name="Sessions"/> |-
! scope="row" | 12 | December 1896 |{{sortname|Rahimtulla M.|Sayani}} |75px|alt=An image of Rahimtulla M. Sayani. | Calcutta |<ref name="Sessions"/> |-
! scope="row" | 13 | December 1897 |{{sortname|C. Sankaran|Nair}} | 75px|alt=An image of C Sankaran Nair. | Amaravati | <ref name="Congress presidents">{{cite news |first=Prashant |last=Rangnekar |title=All the Congress presidents: from family to foreigners |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/all-the-congress-presidents-from-family-to-foreigners/1206771 |access-date=15 May 2021 |agency=Press Trust of India |magazine=Outlook |date=11 December 2017 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515145017/https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/all-the-congress-presidents-from-family-to-foreigners/1206771 |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 14 | December 1898 | {{sortname|Anandamohan|Bose}} |75px|alt=An image of Anandamohan Bose. | Madras | <ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 15 | December 1899 | {{sortname|Romesh Chunder|Dutt}} | 75px|alt=An image of Romesh Chunder Dutt. | Lucknow | <ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 16 | December 1900 | {{sortname|N. G.|Chandavarkar}} | 75px|alt=An image of N. G. Chandavarkar. | Lahore | <ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
|}
==List of party presidents during the pre-independence era (1901–1947)== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="98%" |+ List of presidents during 1901–1947 |- !scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Number}} !scope="col" | Year(s) of presidency !class="sortable" | Name !class="unsortable" | Portrait !scope="col" | Place of conference !class="unsortable" | Reference(s)<ref name="Modi Meetings(MM)" /> |- ! scope="row" | 17 | December 1901 | {{sortname|Dinshaw Edulji|Wacha}} | 75px|alt=An image of Dinshaw Edulji Wacha. | Calcutta |<ref name="Wacha">{{cite news |first=Nergish |last=Sunavala |title=Nobody learns Parsi history in schools, says historian |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/nobody-learns-parsi-history-in-schools-says-historian/articleshow/46007191.cms |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=The Times of India |date=25 January 2015 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515143510/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/nobody-learns-parsi-history-in-schools-says-historian/articleshow/46007191.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 18 | December 1902 |{{sortname|Surendranath|Banerjee}} | 75px|alt=An image of Surendranath Banerjee. | Ahmedabad |<ref name="Sessions"/>
|-
! scope="row" | 19 | December 1903 | {{sortname|Lalmohan|Ghosh}} | | Madras |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 20 | December 1904 | {{sortname|Henry John Stedman|Cotton|Henry Cotton (civil servant)}} | 75px|alt=An image of Henry Cotton. | Bombay |<ref name="British Presidents">{{cite news |title=Indian National Congress: 12 facts about one of the oldest political parties of the country |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/indian-national-congress-was-formed-on-this-day-facts-about-inc-1117601-2017-12-28 |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=India Today |date=28 December 2017 |archive-date=23 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623193857/https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/indian-national-congress-was-formed-on-this-day-facts-about-inc-1117601-2017-12-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 21 | December 1905 | {{sortname|Gopal Krishna|Gokhale}} | 75px|alt=An image of Gopal Krishna Gokhale. | Benares |<ref name="Profiles"/> |- |-
! scope="row" | 22 | December 1906 | {{sortname|Dadabhai|Naoroji}} | 75px|alt=An image of Dadabhai Naoroji. | Calcutta |<ref name="INC_BritishRaj"/> |-
! scope="row" | 23 | December 1907 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Rashbihari|Ghosh}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=An image of Rashbihari Ghosh. | Surat |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 24 | December 1908 | Madras |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 25 | December 1909 | {{sortname|Madan Mohan|Malaviya}} | 75px|alt=An image of Madan Mohan Malaviya. | Lahore |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 26 | December 1910 | {{sortname|William|Wedderburn}} | 75px|alt=An image of William Wedderburn. | Allahabad |<ref name="Sessions"/>
|-
! scope="row" | 27 | December 1911 | {{sortname|Bishan Narayan|Dar}} | | Calcutta | <ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 28 | December 1912 | {{sortname|Raghunath Narasinha|Mudholkar}} | 75px|alt=An image of Raghunath Narasinha Mudholkar. | Bankipore |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 29 | December 1913 | {{sortname|Nawab Syed Muhammad|Bahadur}} | | Karachi | <ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 30 | April 1914 | {{sortname|Bhupendra Nath|Bose}} |75px | Madras | <ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 31 | December 1915 | {{sortname|Satyendra Prasanno|Sinha|Lord Satyendra Prasanna Sinha}} | 75px|alt=An image of Satyendra Prasanno Sinha. | Bombay |<ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 32 | December 1916 | {{sortname|Ambica Charan|Mazumdar}} | 75px|alt=An image of Ambica Charan Mazumdar. | Lucknow |<ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 33 | December 1917 | {{sortname|Annie|Besant}} | 75px|alt=An image of Annie Besant. | Calcutta |<ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 34 | August 1918 | {{sortname|Syed Hasan|Imam}} | 75px|alt=An image of Syed Hasan Imam. | Bombay (special session) |<ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 35 | December 1918 | {{sortname|Madan Mohan|Malaviya}} | 75px|alt=An image of Madan Mohan Malaviya. | Delhi |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 36 | December 1919 | {{sortname|Motilal|Nehru}} | 75px|alt=An image of Motilal Nehru. | Amritsar |<ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 37 | 1920 | {{sortname|Lala Lajpat|Rai}} | 75px|alt=An image of Lala Lajpat Rai. | Calcutta (Special Session) |<ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 38 | December 1920 | {{sortname|C.|Vijayaraghavachariar}} | 75px|alt=An image of C. Vijayaraghavachariar. | Nagpur |<ref name="past presidents">{{cite news |first=Kanishka |last=Singh |title=Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/ |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=The Indian Express |date=5 December 2017 |archive-date=14 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514161101/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 39 | December 1921 | {{sortname|Hakim Ajmal|Khan}} | 75px|alt=An image of Hakim Ajmal Khan. | Ahmedabad |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 40 | December 1922 | {{sortname|Chittaranjan|Das}} | 75px|alt=An image of Chittaranjan Das. | Gaya |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 41 | 1923 | {{sortname|Mohammad Ali|Jauhar}} | 75px|alt=An image of Mohammad Ali Jouhar. | Kakinada |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 42 | September 1923 | {{sortname|Abul Kalam|Azad}} | 75px|alt=An image of Abul Kalam Azad. | Delhi (Special Session) |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 43 | December 1924 | {{sortname|Mahatma|Gandhi}} | 75px|alt=An image of Mahatma Gandhi. | Belgaum |<ref name="Gandhi-Bose">{{cite news |first=Parameswaran Thankappan |last=Nair |title=Gandhi – The Calcutta Connection |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/books/gandhi-the-calcutta-connection/cid/1805208 |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=The Telegraph|location=Kolkata |date=31 January 2021 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515143905/https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/books/gandhi-the-calcutta-connection/cid/1805208 |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 44 | April 1925 | {{sortname|Sarojini|Naidu}} | 75px|alt=An image of Sarojini Naidu. | Kanpur |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 45 | December 1926 | {{sortname|S. Srinivasa|Iyengar}} | 75px|alt=An image of S. Srinivasa Iyengar. | Guwahati |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 46 | December 1927 | {{sortname|Mukhtar Ahmed|Ansari}} | 75px|alt=An image of Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari | Madras |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 47 | 1928 | {{sortname|Motilal|Nehru}} | 75px|alt=An image of Motilal Nehru. | Calcutta |<ref name="Congress presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 48 | 1929 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Jawaharlal|Nehru}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=An image of Jawaharlal Nehru. | Lahore |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 49 | 1930 | Karachi |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 50 | 1931 | {{sortname|Vallabhbhai|Patel}} | 75px|alt=An image of Vallabhbhai Patel. | Karachi |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 51 | 1932 | {{sortname|Madan Mohan|Malaviya}} | 75px|alt=An image of Madan Mohan Malaviya. | Delhi |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 52 | 1933 | {{sortname|Nellie|Sengupta}} | 75px|alt=An image of Nellie Sengupta. | Calcutta |<ref name="INC_Nellie">{{cite web |title=Mrs. Nellie Sengupta, Past Presidents, Indian National Congress |url=https://www.inc.in/en/leadership/past-party-president/mrs-nellie-sengupta |website=Indian National Congress |access-date=4 December 2019 |archive-date=4 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204144520/https://www.inc.in/en/leadership/past-party-president/mrs-nellie-sengupta |url-status=dead }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 53 | 1934 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Rajendra|Prasad}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=An image of Rajendra Prasad. | Bombay |<ref name="Prasad">{{cite news |title=Dr Rajendra Prasad Birth Anniversary: All about India's first President |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/dr-rajendra-prasad-birth-anniversary-all-about-india-s-first-president-1746308-2020-12-03 |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=India Today |date=3 December 2020 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515150852/https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/dr-rajendra-prasad-birth-anniversary-all-about-india-s-first-president-1746308-2020-12-03 |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 54 | 1935 | Lucknow |<ref name="Prasad"/> |-
! scope="row" | 55 | 1936 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Jawaharlal|Nehru}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=An image of Jawaharlal Nehru. | Lucknow |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 56 | 1937 | Faizpur |<ref name="past presidents"/> |-
! scope="row" | 57 | 1938 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Subhas Chandra|Bose}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=Subhas Chandra Bose | Haripura |<ref name="Gandhi-Bose"/><br /><ref name="Nehru & Bose"/> |-
! scope="row" | 58 | 1939 | Tewar, Madhya Pradesh <br/>(then Tripuri) |<ref name="Gandhi-Bose"/><br /><ref name="Nehru & Bose"/> |-
! scope="row" | 59 | 1939 (March) | {{sortname|Rajendra|Prasad}} | 75px|alt=An image of Rajendra Prasad. | Tewar, Madhya Pradesh <br/>(then Tripuri) |<ref name="Prasad"/> |-
! scope="row" | 60 | 1940–46 Duration of World war 2 | {{sortname|Abul Kalam|Azad}} | 75px|alt=An image of Abul Kalam Azad. | Ramgarh |<ref name="past presidents"/> |- !61 |1946 (July–Sept) |Jawaharlal Nehru |frameless|107x107px | |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-04 |title=Indian National Congress: From 1885 till 2017, a brief history of past presidents |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/here-is-a-list-of-past-presidents-of-indian-national-congress-4967084/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=The Indian Express}}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 62 | 1946 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|J. B.|Kripalani|}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=An image of J. B. Kripalani. |Meerut |<ref name="Congress past">{{cite news |first=Sruthi |last=Radhakrishnan |title=Presidents of Congress past: A look at the party's presidency since 1947 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/presidents-of-congress-past-a-look-at-the-partys-presidency-since-1947/article21639174.ece |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=The Hindu |date=14 December 2017 |archive-date=1 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801221210/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/presidents-of-congress-past-a-look-at-the-partys-presidency-since-1947/article21639174.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 63 | 1947 |-
|}
==List of party presidents during the post-independence era (1948–present)== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="98%" |+List of presidents since independence |- !scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Number}} !scope="col" | Year(s) of Presidency !class="sortable" | Name !class="unsortable" | Portrait !scope="col" | Place of Conference !class="unsortable" | Reference(s)<ref name="Modi Meetings(MM)" /> |- ! scope="row" | 64 | 1948 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Bhogaraju Pattabhi|Sitaramayya}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=An image of Pattabhi Sitaraimayya. |Jaipur |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 65 | 1949 | Jaipur | |-
! scope="row" | 66 | 1950 | {{sortname|Purushottam Das|Tandon}} | 75px|alt=An image of Purushottam Das Tandon. |Nashik |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 67 | 1951 | rowspan="4" | {{sortname|Jawaharlal|Nehru}} | rowspan="4" | 75px|alt=An image of Jawaharlal Nehru. | New Delhi |<ref name="Nehru">{{cite web |title=Shri Jawaharlal Nehru |url=https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/shri-jawaharlal-nehru/ |publisher=Prime Minister's Office (India) |access-date=15 May 2021 |archive-date=1 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901193222/https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/shri-jawaharlal-nehru/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br /><ref name="Nehru & Bose">{{cite news |first=Rudrangshu |last=Mukherjee |title=Not really Nehru, it was Gandhi and Congress 'Right' who made Bose resign as party president |url=https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/not-really-nehru-it-was-gandhi-and-congress-right-who-made-bose-resign-as-party-president/594191/ |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=ThePrint |date=30 January 2021 |archive-date=20 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720021218/https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/not-really-nehru-it-was-gandhi-and-congress-right-who-made-bose-resign-as-party-president/594191/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 68 |1952 | New Delhi | |-
! scope="row" | 69 | 1953 |Hyderabad |<ref name="Nehru"/><br /><ref name="Nehru & Bose"/> |-
! scope="row" | 70 | 1954 |Kalyani |<ref name="Nehru"/><br /><ref name="Nehru & Bose"/> |-
! scope="row" | 71 | 1955 | rowspan="5" |{{sortname|U. N.|Dhebar}} | rowspan="5" |75px|alt=An image of U. N. Dhebar. |Avadi |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 72 | 1956 | Amritsar |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 73 | 1957 |Indore |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 74 | 1958 |Guwahati |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 75 | 1959 | Nagpur |<ref name="Profiles"/>
|-
! scope="row" | 76 | 1959 | {{sortname|Indira|Gandhi|link=Indira Gandhi}} | alt=An image of Indira Gandhi.|91x91px | Delhi (special session) |<ref name="Iron Lady">{{cite web |title=Smt. Indira Gandhi |url=https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/smt-indira-gandhi/ |publisher=Prime Minister's Office (India) |access-date=15 May 2021 |archive-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423155248/https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/smt-indira-gandhi/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br /><ref name="Women PM">{{cite news |title=Who Was Indira Gandhi |url=https://www.business-standard.com/about/who-is-indira-gandhi |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=Business Standard|location=India |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515151215/https://www.business-standard.com/about/who-is-indira-gandhi |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 73 | 1960 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Neelam Sanjiva|Reddy}} | rowspan="2" | 75px|alt=An image of Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. |Bengaluru |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 74 | 1961 |Bhavnagar |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 75 | 1962 | {{sortname|Damodaram|Sanjivayya}} | 75px|alt=An image of Damodaram Sanjivayya. |Patna |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 75 | 1962–1963 | {{sortname|Neelam Sanjiva|Reddy}} | 75px|alt=An image of Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. |Patna |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 76 | 1964 | rowspan="3" | {{sortname|K.|Kamaraj|link=K. Kamaraj}} | rowspan="3"|75px|alt=An image of K. Kamaraj. |Bhubaneswar |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 77 | 1965 |Durgapur |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 78 | 1966–1967 |Jaipur |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 79 | 1968 | rowspan="2" | {{sortname|S.|Nijalingappa}} | rowspan="2"|75px|alt=An image of S. Nijalingappa. | Hyderabad |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 80 | 1969 |Faridabad |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 81 | 1970–1971 | {{sortname|Jagjivan|Ram}} | 75px|alt=An image of Jagjivan Ram. | Mumbai |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 82 | 1972–74 | {{sortname|Shankar Dayal|Sharma}} | 75px|alt=An image of Shankar Dayal Sharma. | Kolkata |<ref name="Congress past"/> |-
! scope="row" | 83 | 1975–77 | {{sortname|D. K.|Barooah}} | 75px|alt=An image of Devakanta Barua. |Chandigarh |<ref name="Congress past"/> |- ! scope="row" | 84 | 1977–78 | {{sortname|Kasu Brahmananda| Reddy}} | 75px|alt=An image of Kasu Brahmananda Reddy |Chandigarh |<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.outlookindia.com/national/congress-president-elections-history-of-six-congress-elections-news-230287 | title=Congress President Elections: History of Six Congress Elections | date=16 October 2022 }}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | 85 | 1978–83 | rowspan="2" | Indira Gandhi | rowspan="2" | alt=An image of Indira Gandhi.|91x91px | New Delhi |<ref name="Iron Lady"/><br /><ref name="Women PM"/> |-
! scope="row" | 85 | 1983 | Kolkata |<ref name="Iron Lady"/><br /><ref name="Women PM"/> |-
! scope="row" | 86 | 1985–1991 | {{sortname|Rajiv|Gandhi}} | alt=An image of Rajiv Gandhi.|96x96px | Mumbai |<ref name="Rajiv">{{cite web |title=Shri Rajiv Gandhi |url=https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5-%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%80/ |publisher=Prime Minister's Office (India) |access-date=15 May 2021 |archive-date=1 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901194747/https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5-%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%80/ |url-status=live }}</ref><br /><ref name="Bombay Session">{{cite news |first=Sumit |last=Mitra |title=Count-down to centenary celebration of Indian National Congress in Bombay begins |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19851115-count-down-to-centenary-celebration-of-indian-national-congress-in-bombay-begins-802130-2014-01-16 |access-date=28 May 2021 |work=India Today |date=16 January 2014 |archive-date=19 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819173638/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19851115-count-down-to-centenary-celebration-of-indian-national-congress-in-bombay-begins-802130-2014-01-16 |url-status=live }}</ref><br /><ref name="Centenary Session">{{cite news |title=Let the comparisons begin: Let the comparisons begin: Full text of Rajiv Gandhi's famous 1985 speech |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/full-text-of-rajiv-gandhis-famous-1985-speech-152145-2013-01-21 |access-date=28 May 2021 |work=India Today |date=21 January 2013 |archive-date=26 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126020526/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/full-text-of-rajiv-gandhis-famous-1985-speech-152145-2013-01-21 |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 87 | 1992 | rowspan="3" | {{sortname|P. V. Narasimha|Rao}} | rowspan="3" | 102x102px |Tirupati |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 88 | 1993 |Surajkund |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 89 | 1994 | Delhi |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 90 | 1996–1998 | {{sortname|Sitaram|Kesri}} |frameless | Kolkata |<ref name="Profiles"/> |-
! scope="row" | 91 | 1998–2001 | rowspan="5" | {{sortname|Sonia|Gandhi}} | rowspan="5" | 100x100px | New Delhi |<ref name="interim">{{cite news |title=Sonia Gandhi named interim Congress president |url=http://ddnews.gov.in/national/sonia-gandhi-named-interim-congress-president |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=Doordarshan |agency=Prasar Bharti |date=11 August 2019 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515151724/http://ddnews.gov.in/national/sonia-gandhi-named-interim-congress-president |url-status=live }}</ref><br /><ref name="mint">{{cite news |first=J. |last=Jagannath |title=Sonia Gandhi to continue as Congress president for now |url=https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/sonia-gandhi-to-continue-as-congress-president-for-now-11598273565592.html |access-date=15 May 2021 |newspaper=Mint |date=24 August 2020 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515151714/https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/sonia-gandhi-to-continue-as-congress-president-for-now-11598273565592.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |-
! scope="row" | 92 | 2001–2004 | Bengaluru |<ref name="interim"/><br /><ref name="mint"/> |-
! scope="row" | 93 | 2004–2006 | New Delhi |<ref name="interim"/><br /><ref name="mint"/> |-
! scope="row" | 94 | 2006–2010 | Hyderabad |<ref name="interim"/><br /><ref name="mint"/> |-
! scope="row" | 95 | 2010–2017 | New Delhi |<ref name="interim"/><br /><ref name="mint"/> |-
! scope="row" | 96 | 2017–2019 | {{sortname|Rahul|Gandhi}} | frameless|83x83px | New Delhi |<ref name="Rahul">{{cite news |title=Rahul Gandhi only leader who can take over as Congress president: Ripun Bora |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/rahul-gandhi-only-leader-who-can-take-over-as-congress-president-ripun-bora/article33851242.ece |access-date=15 May 2021 |work=The Hindu |date=16 February 2021 |archive-date=15 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515151940/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/rahul-gandhi-only-leader-who-can-take-over-as-congress-president-ripun-bora/article33851242.ece |url-status=live }}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | 97 | 2019–2022 | Sonia Gandhi | alt=An image of Sonia Gandhi.|100x100px | Jaipur |<ref name="interim"/><br /><ref name="mint"/> |- ! scope="row" | 98 |2022–''Incumbent'' |Mallikarjun Kharge | frameless|94x94px | New Delhi |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-19 |title=LIVE: Shashi Tharoor concedes Congress president poll defeat, wishes Mallikarjun Kharge 'all success' |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/congress-presidential-polls-live-results-shashi-tharoor-mallikarjun-kharge-rahul-gandhi-sonia-gandhi-october-19-latest-news-101666140143855.html |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=Hindustan Times}}</ref> |- |}
== Working & Vice Presidents == * Kamalapati Tripathi (1980–88, working) *Arjun Singh (1984–89) *Jitendra Prasada (1999–2001) *Rahul Gandhi (2013–17)
== See also == *Gandhi–Nehru family *List of state presidents of the Indian National Congress *List of national presidents of the Bharatiya Janata Party *List of general secretaries of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090831055222/http://www.congress.org.in/ All India Congress Committee – AICC]}} Official Indian National Congress website * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100206045145/http://www.congress.org.in/congress-sessions.php Sessions List]}}
{{Indian National Congress}}
{{featured list}}
Category:Presidents of the Indian National Congress Category:Indian political party presidents Category:1885 establishments in India Presidents of the Indian National Congress Category:Indian National Congress