Prime Ministers Who Have Hoisted the National Flag at the Red Fort Since Independence

Every year on August 15, India celebrates its Independence Day, with the Prime Minister hoisting the National Flag at Delhi’s Red Fort, followed by an address to the nation. The tradition began in 1947, when India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, delivered the iconic “Tryst with Destiny” speech.

Here is a chronological list of Prime Ministers who have hoisted the national flag at the Red Fort, along with how many times and for how many years they did so.

1. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru: First PM to hoist the national flag at the Red Fort (1947-1964)

Tenure	17 Years
Flag Hoisted	17 Times

2. Lal Bahadur Shastri (1964-1966)

Tenure	2 Years
Flag Hoisted	2 Times

3. Indira Gandhi (1966-1977, 1980-1984)

Tenure	16 Years (Total)
Flag Hoisted	16 Times

4. Morarji Desai (1977-1979)

Tenure	2 Years
Flag Hoisted	2 Times

5. Chaudhary Charan Singh (July 1979 to January 1980)

Tenure	Less than 1 Year
Flag Hoisted	1 Times

6. Rajiv Gandhi (1984-1989)

Tenure	5 Years
Flag Hoisted	5 Times

7. Vishwanath Pratap Singh (1989-1990)

Tenure	Less than 1 Year
Flag Hoisted	1 Time

8. Chandra Shekhar (1990-1991)

Tenure	Less than 1 Year
Flag Hoisted	0 Time

9. P. V. Narasimha Rao (1991-1996)

Tenure	5 Years
Flag Hoisted	5 Times

10. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1996, 1998-2004)

Tenure	6 Years (Total)
Flag Hoisted	6 Times

11. H. D. Deve Gowda (1996-1997)

Tenure	1 Year
Flag Hoisted	1 Time

12. Inder Kumar Gujral (1997-1998)

Tenure	1 Year
Flag Hoisted	1 Time

13. Dr. Manmohan Singh (2004-2014)

Tenure	10 Years
Flag Hoisted	10 Times

14. Narendra Modi (2014 – Present)

Tenure	Since May 2014
Flag Hoisted	11 Times (as on 2024

The act of hoisting the national flag at the Red Fort is not a mere formality; it symbolises the indelible spirit of leadership, democracy, and independence of India. As of 2025, 13 Prime Ministers have performed National Flag hoising, and each has left their mark on the nation’s journey.

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