Part of: Miscellaneous Indian Gk set 157

Who was the youngest person to be appointed as Prime Minister of India?

Category: Miscellaneous Indian Gk

Hint: Consider the age at which each individual became Prime Minister.

Correct Answer: D) Rajiv Gandhi.

Exam Relevance: UPSC, SSC, Bank PO, CLAT

Difficulty: Easy

Explanations:

The question asks about the youngest person to be appointed as Prime Minister of India. To understand this, it is important to consider the historical context of Indian Prime Ministers and their ages at the time of their appointment.

Rajiv Gandhi, born on August 20, 1944, became the Prime Minister of India on October 31, 1984, following the assassination of his mother, Indira Gandhi. At the time of his appointment, he was 40 years old, making him the youngest person to hold the office of Prime Minister in India. His appointment was a significant event in Indian political history, as it marked a transition in leadership and brought a younger generation into the highest office of the country.

It is important to note that the age at which a person becomes Prime Minister is a key factor in determining who is the youngest. Other Prime Ministers, such as Gulzarilal Nanda, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, and Inder Kumar Gujral, were significantly older when they took office. Nanda served as a caretaker Prime Minister twice, in 1964 and 1966, but he was not the youngest to hold the office. Singh became Prime Minister in 1989 at the age of 65, and Gujral became Prime Minister in 1997 at the age of 74.

Understanding the ages of these political figures at the time of their appointments is crucial for answering questions related to the youngest Prime Minister. This knowledge is often tested in competitive examinations, particularly those that focus on Indian political history and general knowledge.

Option Analysis:
  • Option A: Gulzarilal Nanda was a caretaker Prime Minister and was not the youngest to be appointed as Prime Minister. He served briefly in 1964 and 1966.
  • Option B: Vishwanath Pratap Singh became Prime Minister in 1989 at the age of 65, which is significantly older than Rajiv Gandhi when he took office.
  • Option C: Inder Kumar Gujral became Prime Minister in 1997 at the age of 74, making him one of the oldest Prime Ministers of India, not the youngest.
  • Option D: Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1984 at the age of 40, making him the youngest person to hold the office of Prime Minister in India. This is the correct answer.

Mnemonic: Rajiv Gandhi, Youngest Prime Minister: "R" for Rajiv, "Y" for Youngest

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