List of Indian Vice Presidents (1952–Present): Full Details, Important Facts, and Exam Notes

The List of Indian Vice Presidents is one of the most important topics in Indian Polity and General Awareness. Questions based on the first Vice President, the current Vice President, the longest-serving Vice President, the Vice President who died in office, and those who later became President are frequently asked in entrance exams such as AMU, JMI, SSC, UPSC, CUET, and other competitive tests. A clear understanding of the List of Indian Vice Presidents helps students answer direct factual questions quickly and accurately.

• In this post, you will get the complete List of Indian Vice Presidents, the role of the Vice President, the meaning of acting as President, important exam facts, quick revision points, and useful FAQs. As of 10 April 2026, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan is the serving Vice President of India, and the official Vice President of India website states that he was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India on 12 September 2025.

What Is the Role of the Vice President in India?

• The Vice President of India holds the second-highest constitutional office in the country. The Vice President is the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, which means the office-holder presides over the Upper House of Parliament and helps ensure the orderly conduct of its proceedings. This constitutional role makes the List of Indian Vice Presidents a very important topic for polity preparation.
• The Vice President is elected by an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament through the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. A Vice President holds office for five years from the date of entering office. In the election of the Vice President, members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha take part.

When Does the Vice President Act as President?

• The Vice President acts as President when the office of the President becomes vacant because of death, resignation, or removal, or when the President is unable to discharge functions because of absence, illness, or another cause. In such a case, the Vice President acts as, or discharges the functions of, the President until a new President is elected or until the President resumes office.
• When the Vice President acts as President, the Vice President cannot perform the duties of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha during that period. This is an important constitutional fact and is often asked in objective-type exams.

Complete List of Indian Vice Presidents (1952–Present)

Below is the complete List of Indian Vice Presidents in chronological order, along with their tenure and major facts for quick exam revision.

No.	Vice President	Tenure	Key Fact
1	Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan	13 May 1952 – 12 May 1962	First Vice President of India; served two full terms.
2	Dr. Zakir Husain	13 May 1962 – 12 May 1967	Later became the 3rd President of India.
3	V. V. Giri	13 May 1967 – 3 May 1969	Resigned after acting as President and later became President.
4	Gopal Swarup Pathak	31 August 1969 – 30 August 1974	Former judge and statesman; did not become President.
5	B. D. Jatti	31 August 1974 – 30 August 1979	Acted as President after the death of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.
6	Mohammad Hidayatullah	31 August 1979 – 30 August 1984	Former Chief Justice of India; elected unopposed.
7	R. Venkataraman	31 August 1984 – 24 July 1987	Resigned before term-end and later became the 8th President of India.
8	Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma	3 September 1987 – 24 July 1992	Later became the 9th President of India.
9	K. R. Narayanan	21 August 1992 – 24 July 1997	Later became the first Dalit President of India.
10	Krishan Kant	21 August 1997 – 27 July 2002	Only Vice President of India to die in office.
11	Bhairon Singh Shekhawat	19 August 2002 – 21 July 2007	Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
12	Mohammad Hamid Ansari	11 August 2007 – 10 August 2017	Served two full terms as Vice President.
13	M. Venkaiah Naidu	11 August 2017 – 10 August 2022	Served as Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha for one full term.
14	Jagdeep Dhankhar	11 August 2022 – 21 July 2025	Resigned mid-term citing health reasons.
15	C. P. Radhakrishnan	12 September 2025 – Present	Current Vice President of India.

The current office-holder and the 2025 transition are confirmed by official government sources. The Vice President of India website identifies C. P. Radhakrishnan as the current Vice President and records his swearing-in on 12 September 2025. The Election Commission announcement issued through PIB states that the process for a new election began after the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, which was notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs in July 2025.

Important Facts from the List of Indian Vice Presidents

First Vice President of India

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the first Vice President of India. He held the office from 1952 to 1962 and later became the President of India. He is one of the most important names in the List of Indian Vice Presidents.

Longest-Serving Vice President of India

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the longest-serving Vice President of India because he completed two full terms, serving for ten years. Mohammad Hamid Ansari also completed two full terms, making him the only other Vice President to do so.

Vice President Who Died in Office

Krishan Kant was the only Vice President of India to die in office. This is a very important one-line fact from the List of Indian Vice Presidents and is often asked in objective exams.

Vice Presidents Who Later Became President

Several Vice Presidents later became President of India. These include Dr. Zakir Husain, V. V. Giri, R. Venkataraman, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, and K. R. Narayanan. This makes the List of Indian Vice Presidents closely linked to the study of Indian Presidents.

Vice President Who First Acted as President

V. V. Giri became one of the most important names in the List of Indian Vice Presidents because he acted as President after the death of Dr. Zakir Husain in 1969. He later resigned as Vice President to contest the presidential election and then became President.

Vice President Who Was a Former Chief Justice of India

Mohammad Hidayatullah was a former Chief Justice of India before becoming Vice President. This is a notable constitutional fact associated with the List of Indian Vice Presidents.

Current Vice President of India

C. P. Radhakrishnan is the current Vice President of India. The official Vice President of India website records that he was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha on 12 September 2025.

Vice President Who Resigned Mid-Term in 2025

Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the office of Vice President on 21 July 2025, citing health reasons. The Election Commission, through a PIB release dated 23 July 2025, said that the Ministry of Home Affairs had notified his resignation.

Quick Revision Points

• First Vice President of India — Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
• Longest-serving Vice President — Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
• Only other Vice President to complete two full terms — Mohammad Hamid Ansari
• Vice President who died in office — Krishan Kant
• Vice President who first acted as President — V. V. Giri
• Former Chief Justice who became Vice President — Mohammad Hidayatullah
• Current Vice President of India — C. P. Radhakrishnan
• Vice President who resigned in 2025 — Jagdeep Dhankhar

Why the List of Indian Vice Presidents Is Important for Exams

The List of Indian Vice Presidents is important for exams because examiners often frame direct questions from constitutional offices. They may ask who was the first Vice President, who served the longest, who died in office, who later became President, who resigned mid-term, or who is the current Vice President. Students who revise the List of Indian Vice Presidents carefully can answer several polity and static GK questions with confidence.

This topic is also important because it connects the Vice President, the President, and the Rajya Sabha in one constitutional chain. A student who remembers the List of Indian Vice Presidents along with the major facts attached to each name is better prepared for objective-type questions in entrance examinations.

FAQs

Who was the first Vice President of India?

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the first Vice President of India. He assumed office in 1952 and later became President of India.

Who is the current Vice President of India?

C. P. Radhakrishnan is the current Vice President of India. He was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India on 12 September 2025.

How many Vice Presidents has India had?

India has had 15 Vice Presidents from 1952 to the present. The current office-holder is C. P. Radhakrishnan.

Who was the longest-serving Vice President of India?

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the longest-serving Vice President of India, serving two full terms. Mohammad Hamid Ansari also served two full terms.

Who was the only Vice President of India to die in office?

Krishan Kant was the only Vice President of India to die while in office.

Which Vice Presidents later became President of India?

The Vice Presidents who later became President were Dr. Zakir Husain, V. V. Giri, R. Venkataraman, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, and K. R. Narayanan.

What is the main role of the Vice President of India?

The main constitutional role of the Vice President of India is to serve as the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

When does the Vice President act as President?

The Vice President acts as President when the office of the President becomes vacant, or when the President is unable to discharge official functions because of absence, illness, or another cause.

Did Jagdeep Dhankhar resign as Vice President?

Yes. Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the office of Vice President on 21 July 2025, and the resignation was officially notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, as noted in a PIB release.

Conclusion

The List of Indian Vice Presidents is a short but highly important topic for exam preparation. If students learn the sequence, tenure, and major facts properly, they can solve many General Awareness and Indian Polity questions quickly and correctly. The best revision method is to remember the names in order and connect each Vice President with one special fact.