When was K. R. Narayanan born?

K. R. Narayanan was born on 27 October 1920 in Uzhavoor.

What positions has K. R. Narayanan held?

Positions held by K. R. Narayanan include: President of India (1997–2002); Vice President of India (1992–1997); Member of the 9th Lok Sabha (1989–1991); Member of the Lok Sabha; ambassador.

Where did K. R. Narayanan study?

K. R. Narayanan was educated at University of Kerala, London School of Economics and Political Science, University College Thiruvananthapuram.

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K. R. Narayanan

President of India from 1997 to 2002

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Kocheril Raman Narayanan (27 October 1920 – 9 November 2005) was an Indian diplomat, academician, and statesman who served as the president of India from 1997 to 2002 and vice president of India from 1992 to 1997.

Quick facts

Born: 27 October 1920 wd
Place of birth: Uzhavoor wd
Died: 9 November 2005 wd
Place of death: New Delhi wd
Citizenship: British Raj, India wd
Occupation: politician, diplomat wd
Political party: Indian National Congress wd
Education: University of Kerala, London School of Economics and Political Science, University College Thiruvananthapuram wd
Spouse: Usha Narayanan wd

Positions held wd

President of India (25 July 1997 – 25 July 2002)
Vice President of India (21 August 1992 – 24 July 1997)
Member of the 9th Lok Sabha (2 December 1989 – 13 March 1991)
Member of the Lok Sabha
ambassador
Member of the 8th Lok Sabha

About

Narayanan was born in Perumthanam, Uzhavoor village, in the princely state of Travancore (present day Kottayam district, Kerala) into a Hindu family. After a brief stint with journalism and then studies at the London School of Economics with the assistance of a scholarship, Narayanan began his career in India as a member of the Indian Foreign Service in the Nehru administration. He served as ambassador to a number of countries, most principally to the United States and China, and was referred by Nehru as "the best diplomat of the country". He entered politics at Indira Gandhi's request and won three successive general elections to the Lok Sabha and served as a Minister of State in prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet. Elected as vice president in 1992, Narayanan went on to become president in 1997 and became the first Dalit to occupy either position.

Narayanan is regarded as an independent and assertive president who set several precedents and enlarged the scope of the presidency. He described himself as a "working president" who worked "within the four corners of the Constitution"; something midway between an "executive president" who has direct power and a "rubber-stamp president" who endorses government decisions without question or deliberation. He used his discretionary powers as a president and deviated from convention and precedent in many situations, including the appointment of the prime minister in a hung Parliament, in dismissing a state government and imposing President's rule there at the suggestion of the Union Cabinet, and during the Kargil conflict. He presided over the golden jubilee celebrations of Indian independence and in the…

Questions

When was K. R. Narayanan born?: K. R. Narayanan was born on 27 October 1920 in Uzhavoor.
What positions has K. R. Narayanan held?: Positions held by K. R. Narayanan include: President of India (1997–2002); Vice President of India (1992–1997); Member of the 9th Lok Sabha (1989–1991); Member of the Lok Sabha; ambassador.
Where did K. R. Narayanan study?: K. R. Narayanan was educated at University of Kerala, London School of Economics and Political Science, University College Thiruvananthapuram.

Sources

Last updated 31 October 2026 · facts checked 7 November 2026

Cite this page

"K. R. Narayanan". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/k-r-narayanan. Retrieved 7 November 2026.

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Text from the Wikipedia article K. R. Narayanan, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: The official portrait of Shri Kocheril Raman Narayanan, 10th President of the Republic of India.png — Government of India, GODL-India.

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