Minister of Communications (India)

The Minister of Communications (Hindi: संचार मंत्री) is the head of the Ministry of Communications and a senior member of the union council of ministers of the Government of India. The portfolio is usually held by a minister with cabinet rank who is a senior member of the council of ministers and is often assisted by one or two junior ministers or the Ministers of State.

Minister of Communications
संचार मंत्री
Sanchar Mantrī
Emblem of the Ministry of Communications
Incumbent
Ashwini Vaishnaw
since 7 July 2021 (2021-07-07)
Ministry of Communications
Member ofCabinet of India
Reports toPrime Minister of India
Parliament of India
AppointerPresident of India
on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of India
Formation1947 (1947) (as Ministry of Communications)
5 July 2016 (2016-07-05) (current form)
First holderRafi Ahmed Kidwai

The current minister is Ashwini Vaishnaw who has been serving in office since 7 July 2021 and is currently assisted by Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan as the Minister of State for Communications.

One future president - Shankar Dayal Sharma served as minister in the ministry. Sharma was Cabinet Minister for Communications from 1974 until 1977. Two future prime ministers, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Inder Kumar Gujral also served as ministers in the ministry. Shastri was Cabinet Minister for Transport and Communications from 1957 until 1958, while Gujral was Minister of State for Communications from 1967 until 1971.

History edit

The Ministry of Communications came into existence soon after India's independence in the First Nehru ministry formed on 15 August 1947. Rafi Ahmed Kidwai was appointed as the first Minister of Communications and served until 1951. The ministry was merged with the Ministry of Transport to form the "Ministry of Transport and Communications" on 17 April 1957 in the Third Nehru ministry. Lal Bahadur Shastri was appointed as the minister in the newly-formed ministry. The ministry was bifurcated on 31 August 1963 into the Ministry of Transport and the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. The "Department of Posts and Telegraphs" became the Ministry of Communications on 13 May 1964.

On 22 December 2001, the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Information Technology were merged to form the "Ministry of Communications and Information Technology".[1] The ministry was further bifurcated on 5 July 2016 into the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The two ministries have since then existed independently.

Cabinet Ministers edit

[2]

No.PortraitMinister
(Birth-Death)
Constituency
Term of officePolitical partyMinistryPrime Minister
FromToPeriod
Minister of Communications
1 Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
(1894–1954)
15 August
1947
2 August
1951
3 years, 352 daysIndian National CongressNehru IJawaharlal Nehru
2 Amrit Kaur
(1887–1964)
2 August
1951
13 May
1952
285 days
3 Jagjivan Ram
(1908–1986)
MP for Shahabad South
13 May
1952
7 December
1956
4 years, 208 daysNehru II
4 Raj Bahadur
(1912–1990)
MP for Jaipur–Sawai Madhopur

(MoS)
7 December
1956
17 April
1957
131 days
Minister of Transport and Communications
5 Lal Bahadur Shastri
(1904–1966)
MP for Allahabad
17 April
1957
28 March
1958
345 daysIndian National CongressNehru IIIJawaharlal Nehru
6 S. K. Patil
(1898–1981)
MP for Mumbai South
29 March
1958
24 August
1959
1 year, 148 days
Jawaharlal Nehru
(1889–1964)
MP for Phulpur

(Prime Minister)
24 August
1959
2 September
1959
9 days
7 P. Subbarayan
(1889–1962)
MP for Tiruchengode
2 September
1959
10 April
1962
2 years, 220 days
(3) Jagjivan Ram
(1908–1986)
MP for Sasaram
10 April
1962
31 August
1963
1 year, 143 daysNehru IV
Minister of Posts and Telegraph
8 Ashoke Kumar Sen
(1913–1996)
MP for Calcutta North West
1 September
1963
13 May
1964
255 daysIndian National CongressNehru IVJawaharlal Nehru
Minister of Communications
(8) Ashoke Kumar Sen
(1913–1996)
MP for Calcutta North West
13 May
1964
27 May
1964
31 daysIndian National CongressNehru IVJawaharlal Nehru
27 May
1964
9 June
1964
Nanda IGulzarilal Nanda
9 June
1964
13 June
1964
ShastriLal Bahadur Shastri
9 Satya Narayan Sinha
(1900–1983)
MP for Samastipur
13 June
1964
11 January
1966
2 years, 273 days
11 January
1966
24 January
1966
Nanda IIGulzarilal Nanda
24 January
1966
13 March
1967
Indira IIndira Gandhi
10 Ram Subhag Singh
(1917–1980)
MP for Buxar
13 March
1967
14 February
1969
1 year, 338 daysIndira II
(9) Satya Narayan Sinha
(1900–1983)
MP for Darbhanga
14 February
1969
8 March
1971
2 years, 22 daysIndian National Congress (R)
Indira Gandhi
(1917–1984)
MP for Raebareli

(Prime Minister)
8 March
1971
18 March
1971
10 days
11Sher Singh Kadyan
(1917–2009)
MP for Rohtak

(MoS)
18 March
1971
2 May
1971
45 daysIndira III
12 Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna
(1919–1989)
MP for Allahabad

(MoS)
2 May
1971
8 November
1973
2 years, 190 days
(4) Raj Bahadur
(1912–1990)
MP for Bharatpur
8 November
1973
11 January
1974
64 days
13 Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
(1909–1994)
Rajya Sabha MP for Andhra Pradesh
11 January
1974
10 October
1974
272 days
14 Shankar Dayal Sharma
(1918–1999)
MP for Bhopal
10 October
1974
24 March
1977
2 years, 165 days
Morarji Desai
(1896–1995)
MP for Surat

(Prime Minister)
24 March
1977
26 March
1977
2 daysJanata PartyDesaiMorarji Desai
15 Parkash Singh Badal
(1927–2023)
MP for Faridkot
26 March
1977
27 March
1977
1 dayShiromani Akali Dal
16 George Fernandes
(1930–2019)
MP for Muzaffarpur
27 March
1977
6 July
1977
101 daysJanata Party
17Brij Lal Varma
(1916–1987)
MP for Mahasamund
6 July
1977
28 July
1979
2 years, 22 days
Charan Singh
(1902–1987)
MP for Baghpat

(Prime Minister)
28 July
1979
30 July
1979
2 daysJanata Party (Secular)Charan SinghCharan Singh
18Zulfiquarullah
MP for Sultanpur
(MoS)
30 July
1979
27 November
1979
120 days
Charan Singh
(1902–1987)
MP for Baghpat

(Prime Minister)
27 November
1979
7 December
1979
10 days
19 Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra
(1920–2004)
MP for Begusarai
7 December
1979
14 January
1980
38 days
Indira Gandhi
(1917–1984)
MP for Medak

(Prime Minister)
14 January
1980
16 January
1980
2 daysIndian National Congress (I)Indira IVIndira Gandhi
20 Bhishma Narain Singh
(1933–2018)
Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar
16 January
1980
3 March
1980
47 days
21C. M. Stephen
(1918–1984)
MP for Gulbarga
3 March
1980
2 September
1982
2 years, 183 days
22Anant Sharma
(1919–1988)
Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar
2 September
1982
14 February
1983
165 days
Indira Gandhi
(1917–1984)
MP for Medak

(Prime Minister)
14 February
1983
31 October
1984[†]
1 year, 260 days
Rajiv Gandhi
(1944–1991)
MP for Amethi

(Prime Minister)
31 October
1984
4 November
1984
4 daysRajiv IRajiv Gandhi
23 Ram Niwas Mirdha
(1924–2010)
MP for Barmer
31 December
1984
22 October
1986
1 year, 295 daysRajiv II
24 Arjun Singh
(1930–2011)
MP for South Delhi
22 October
1986
14 February
1988
1 year, 115 days
25 Vasant Sathe
(1925–2011)
MP for Wardha
14 February
1988
25 June
1988
132 days
26Bir Bahadur Singh
(1935–1989)
Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh
25 June
1988
30 May
1989[†]
339 days
Rajiv Gandhi
(1944–1991)
MP for Amethi

(Prime Minister)
31 May
1989
4 July
1989
34 days
27 Giridhar Gamang
(born 1943)
MP for Koraput

(MoS, I/C)
4 July
1989
2 December
1989
151 days
Vishwanath Pratap Singh
(1931–2008)
MP for Fatehpur

(Prime Minister)
2 December
1989
6 December
1989
4 daysJanata DalVishwanathVishwanath Pratap Singh
28K. P. Unnikrishnan
(born 1936)
MP for Vatakara
6 December
1989
23 April
1990
138 days
29Janeshwar Mishra
(1933–2010)
MP for Allahabad

(MoS, I/C)
23 April
1990
5 November
1990
196 days
Vishwanath Pratap Singh
(1931–2008)
MP for Fatehpur

(Prime Minister)
6 November
1990
10 November
1990
4 days
Chandra Shekhar
(1927–2007)
MP for Ballia

(Prime Minister)
10 November
1990
21 November
1990
11 daysSamajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)Chandra ShekharChandra Shekhar
30 Sanjaya Sinh
(born 1951)
Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh

(MoS, I/C)
21 November
1990
21 June
1991
212 days
31 Rajesh Pilot
(1945–2000)
MP for Dausa

(MoS, I/C)
21 June
1991
18 January
1993
1 year, 211 daysIndian National Congress (I)RaoP. V. Narasimha Rao
32Sukh Ram
(1927–2022)
MP for Mandi

(MoS, I/C)
18 January
1993
16 May
1996
3 years, 119 days
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(1924–2018)
MP for Lucknow

(Prime Minister)
16 May
1996
1 June
1996
16 daysBharatiya Janata PartyVajpayee IAtal Bihari Vajpayee
H. D. Deve Gowda
(born 1933)
Unelected

(Prime Minister)
1 June
1996
29 June
1996
28 daysJanata DalDeve GowdaH. D. Deve Gowda
33 Beni Prasad Verma
(1941–2020)
MP for Kaiserganj

(MoS, I/C until 10 July 1996)
29 June
1996
21 April
1997
1 year, 263 daysSamajwadi Party
21 April
1997
19 March
1998
GujralInder Kumar Gujral
34 Buta Singh
(1934–2021)
MP for Jalore
19 March
1998
20 April
1998
32 daysIndependentVajpayee IIAtal Bihari Vajpayee
35 Sushma Swaraj
(1952–2019)
MP for South Delhi
20 April
1998
11 October
1998
174 daysBharatiya Janata Party
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(1924–2018)
MP for Lucknow

(Prime Minister)
11 October
1998
5 December
1998
55 days
36 Jagmohan
(1927–2021)
MP for New Delhi
5 December
1998
8 June
1999
185 days
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(1924–2018)
MP for Lucknow

(Prime Minister)
8 June
1999
13 October
1999
127 days
37 Ram Vilas Paswan
(1946–2020)
MP for Hajipur
13 October
1999
1 September
2001
1 year, 323 daysJanata Dal (United)Vajpayee III
Lok Janshakti Party
38 Pramod Mahajan
(1949–2006)
Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra
1 September
2001
22 December
2001
112 daysBharatiya Janata Party
Minister of Communications and Information Technology
(38) Pramod Mahajan
(1949–2006)
Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra
22 December
2001
29 January
2003
1 year, 38 daysBharatiya Janata PartyVajpayee IIIAtal Bihari Vajpayee
39 Arun Shourie
(born 1941)
Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh
29 January
2003
22 May
2004
1 year, 114 days
40 Dayanidhi Maran
(born 1966)
MP for Chennai Central
23 May
2004
15 May
2007
2 years, 357 daysDravida Munnetra KazhagamManmohan IManmohan Singh
41 A. Raja
(born 1963)
MP for Perambalur
15 May
2007
22 May
2009
2 years, 7 days
Manmohan Singh
(born 1932)
Rajya Sabha MP for Assam

(Prime Minister)
22 May
2009
28 May
2009
6 daysIndian National CongressManmohan II
(41) A. Raja
(born 1963)
MP for Nilgiris
28 May
2009
15 November
2010
1 year, 171 daysDravida Munnetra Kazhagam
42 Kapil Sibal
(born 1948)
MP for Chandni Chowk
15 November
2010
26 May
2014
3 years, 192 daysIndian National Congress
43 Ravi Shankar Prasad
(born 1954)
Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar
27 May
2014
5 July
2016
2 years, 39 daysBharatiya Janata PartyModi INarendra Modi
Minister of Communications
44 Manoj Sinha
(born 1959)
MP for Ghazipur
5 July
2016
30 May
2019
2 years, 329 daysBharatiya Janata PartyModi INarendra Modi
(43) Ravi Shankar Prasad
(born 1954)
MP for Patna Sahib
31 May
2019
7 July
2021
2 years, 37 daysModi II
45 Ashwini Vaishnaw
(born 1970)
Rajya Sabha MP for Odisha
7 July
2021
Incumbent2 years, 332 days

Ministers of State edit

No.PortraitMinister
(Birth-Death)
Constituency
Term of officePolitical partyMinistryPrime Minister
FromToPeriod
Minister of State of Communications
1 Raj Bahadur
(1912–1990)
MP for Jaipur–Sawai Madhopur
14 February
1956
7 December
1956
297 daysIndian National CongressNehru IIJawaharlal Nehru
Minister of State of Transport and Communications
2 Raj Bahadur
(1912–1990)
MP for Bharatpur
17 April
1957
10 April
1962
4 years, 358 daysIndian National CongressNehru IIIJawaharlal Nehru
3 Humayun Kabir
(1906–1969)
Rajya Sabha MP for West Bengal
17 April
1957
10 April
1958
358 days
Minister of State of Communications
4 Jagannath Rao
(1909–?)
MP for Chatrapur
14 February
1966
13 March
1967
1 year, 27 daysIndian National CongressIndira IIndira Gandhi
5 Inder Kumar Gujral
(1919–2012)
Rajya Sabha MP for Punjab
18 March
1967
18 March
1971
4 years, 0 daysIndira II
Indian National Congress (R)
6Sher Singh Kadyan
(1917–2009)
MP for Rohtak
14 February
1969
18 March
1971
2 years, 32 days
12 January
1974
10 October
1974
271 daysIndira II
7Narhari Prasad Sai
(1929–1999)
MP for Raigarh
14 August
1977
28 July
1979
1 year, 348 daysJanata PartyDesaiMorarji Desai
8Narsingh Yadav
MP for Chandauli
30 July
1979
14 January
1980
168 daysJanata Party (Secular)Charan SinghCharan Singh
9 Tukaram Shrangare
(1937–2011)
MP for Osmanabad
31 July
1979
14 January
1980
167 days
10 Kartik Oraon
(1924–1981)
MP for Lohardaga
8 June
1980
8 December
1981[†]
1 year, 183 daysIndian National Congress (I)Indira IVIndira Gandhi
11Yogendra Makwana
(born 1933)
Rajya Sabha MP for Gujarat
15 January
1982
29 January
1983
1 year, 14 days
12Vitthalrao Gadgil
(1928–2001)
MP for Pune
29 January
1983
31 October
1984
1 year, 332 days
4 November
1984
31 December
1984
Rajiv IRajiv Gandhi
13 Giridhar Gamang
(born 1943)
MP for Koraput
25 June
1988
4 July
1989
1 year, 9 daysRajiv II
14 Beni Prasad Verma
(1941–2020)
MP for Kaiserganj
1 June
1996
29 June
1996
28 daysSamajwadi PartyDeve GowdaH. D. Deve Gowda
15Kabindra Purkayastha
(born 1931)
MP for Silchar
20 March
1998
13 October
1999
1 year, 207 daysBharatiya Janata PartyVajpayee IIAtal Bihari Vajpayee
16 Tapan Sikdar
(1944–2014)
MP for Dum Dum
13 October
1999
22 December
2001
2 years, 70 daysVajpayee III
Minister of State of Communications and Information Technology
(16) Tapan Sikdar
(1944–2014)
MP for Dum Dum
22 December
2001
1 July
2002
191 daysBharatiya Janata PartyVajpayee IIIAtal Bihari Vajpayee
17 Sumitra Mahajan
(born 1943)
MP for Indore
1 July
2002
24 May
2003
327 days
18Sanjay Paswan
(born 1962)
MP for Nawada
1 July
2002
29 January
2003
212 days
18Su. Thirunavukkarasar
(born 1949)
MP for Pudukkottai
29 January
2003
22 May
2004
1 year, 114 days
19Ashok Kumar Pradhan
(born 1953)
MP for Khurja
24 May
2003
22 May
2004
364 days
20 Shakeel Ahmad
(born 1956)
MP for Madhubani
23 May
2004
6 April
2008
3 years, 319 daysIndian National CongressManmohan IManmohan Singh
21 Jyotiraditya Scindia
(born 1971)
MP for Guna

(MoS, I/C)
6 April
2008
22 May
2009
1 year, 46 days
22 Gurudas Kamat
(1954–2018)
MP for Mumbai North West
28 May
2009
19 January
2011
1 year, 236 daysManmohan II
23 Sachin Pilot
(born 1977)
MP for Dausa
28 May
2009
28 October
2012
3 years, 153 days
(22) Gurudas Kamat
(1954–2018)
MP for Mumbai North West
21 January
2011
12 July
2011
172 days
24 Milind Deora
(born 1976)
MP for Mumbai South
12 July
2011
26 May
2014
2 years, 318 days
25 Killi Krupa Rani
(born 1965)
MP for Srikakulam
28 October
2012
26 May
2014
1 year, 210 days
Minister of State of Communications
26 Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre
(born 1959)
MP for Akola
31 May
2019
7 July
2021
2 years, 37 daysBharatiya Janata PartyModi IINarendra Modi
27 Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan
(born 1964)
MP for Kheda
7 July
2021
Incumbent2 years, 332 days

Deputy Ministers edit

No.PortraitMinister
(Birth-Death)
Constituency
Term of officePolitical partyMinistryPrime Minister
FromToPeriod
Deputy Minister of Communications
1Khurshed Lal
(1903–1951)
MCA for United Provinces
1 October
1948
29 January
1951
2 years, 120 daysIndian National CongressNehru IJawaharlal Nehru
1 Raj Bahadur
(1912–1990)
MCA for Rajputana
MP for Jaipur–Sawai Madhopur
29 January
1951
13 May
1952
1 year, 105 days
4 June
1952
14 February
1956
3 years, 255 daysNehru II
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications
3 Mohiuddin Ahmed
(1898–?)
MP for Secunderabad
16 April
1962
1 September
1963
1 year, 138 daysIndian National CongressNehru IVJawaharlal Nehru
Deputy Minister of Posts and Telegraphs
4 Bijoy Chandra Bhagavati
(1905–1997)
MP for Tezpur
1 September
1963
13 May
1964
255 daysIndian National CongressNehru IVJawaharlal Nehru
Deputy Minister of Communications
(4) Bijoy Chandra Bhagavati
(1905–1997)
MP for Tezpur
13 May
1964
27 May
1964
1 year, 250 daysIndian National CongressNehru IVJawaharlal Nehru
27 May
1964
9 June
1964
Nanda IGulzarilal Nanda
15 June
1964
11 January
1966
ShastriLal Bahadur Shastri
11 January
1966
24 January
1966
Nanda IIGulzarilal Nanda
5 Vidya Charan Shukla
(1929–2013)
MP for Mahasamund
24 January
1966
14 February
1966
21 daysIndira IIndira Gandhi
6 Jagannath Pahadia
(1932–1991)
MP for Bayana
22 July
1972
23 December
1976
4 years, 154 daysIndian National Congress (R)Indira III
7Balgovind Verma
(1923–1980)
MP for Kheri
23 December
1976
24 March
1977
91 days
8Vijaykumar Naval Patil
(born 1942)
MP for Dhule
19 October
1980
31 October
1984
4 years, 68 daysIndian National Congress (I)Indira IV
4 November
1984
31 December
1984
Rajiv IRajiv Gandhi
9Jai Parkash
(born 1954)
MP for Hisar
7 December
1990
21 June
1991
196 daysSamajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya)Chandra ShekharChandra Shekhar
10 P. V. Rangayya Naidu
(born 1933)
MP for Khammam
21 June
1991
18 January
1993
1 year, 211 daysIndian National Congress (R)RaoP. V. Narasimha Rao

References edit

  1. ^ Cabinet Secretariat (21 December 2001). "Allocation of Business to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology" (PDF).
  2. ^ "List of Ministers of Communications". Department of Telecommunications,Communication and Information Technology. Ministry of Communication and Information Technology/National Informatics Centre. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2016.

External links edit