Charan Singh
Farmers’ leader and fifth Prime Minister of India
- Lived
- 84 yrs
- 1902 – 1987
- Works listed
- 0
- Career highlights
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 2024
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
Charan Singh was a politician who championed India’s farmers and served as the fifth Prime Minister of India from July 1979 to January 1980. Earlier he led land reforms in Uttar Pradesh and twice served as its Chief Minister. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024.
Biography
Lawyer and freedom fighter
Charan Singh grew up in a farming family in western Uttar Pradesh, studied law and practised in Ghaziabad. He joined the independence movement and was jailed several times.
Land reform
As a minister in Uttar Pradesh he was a key architect of the abolition of the zamindari system and land reforms that gave cultivating farmers ownership rights. He served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1967 and 1970.
Prime Minister
After the Emergency he joined the Janata Party government as Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. In July 1979 he became Prime Minister, but lost support and resigned before facing Parliament; he remained caretaker until January 1980.
Legacy
He wrote extensively on the rural economy and is remembered as a champion of farmers. His birthday, 23 December, is celebrated as Kisan Diwas (Farmers’ Day). He died on 29 May 1987 and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024.
Timeline
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1902
Born in Noorpur, Meerut district, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh)
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1967
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
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1977
Home Minister in the Janata government
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1979
Becomes Prime Minister
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1980
Leaves office
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1987
Dies
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2024
Bharat Ratna
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1987
Died, aged 84
Awards and honours
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Bharat Ratna
2024 · Posthumous.
Did you know?
-
1
National Farmers’ Day is celebrated on his birthday.
-
2
He never faced Parliament as Prime Minister.
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3
He shaped land reform in Uttar Pradesh.
Connections
Related people
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Morarji Desai
Politics & Leadership · Fourth Prime Minister of India and the first from outside the Congress
Predecessor as Prime Minister
-
Indira Gandhi
Politics & Leadership · Third Prime Minister of India and the only woman to hold the office
Successor as Prime Minister
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Jayaprakash Narayan
Politics & Leadership · Freedom fighter who led the movement against the Emergency
Janata movement leader
Frequently asked
Who is Charan Singh?
Charan Singh was a politician who championed India’s farmers and served as the fifth Prime Minister of India from July 1979 to January 1980. Earlier he led land reforms in Uttar Pradesh and twice served as its Chief Minister. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024.
When did Charan Singh die?
Charan Singh died on 29 May 1987 at the age of 84.
Where is Charan Singh from?
Charan Singh was born in Noorpur, Meerut district, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh).
What is Charan Singh known for?
Charan Singh is best known for Land reform in Uttar Pradesh; championing farmers; Prime Minister in 1979–80.
What awards has Charan Singh received?
Notable honours include Bharat Ratna (2024).
References
- Charan Singh — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Charan Singh — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Charan Singh — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Charan Singh (Q319824) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Charan Singh”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 2 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Charan Singh.” TrackFame, last updated 3 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/charan-singh
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