The Indian National Congress (INC) is one of the oldest and most prominent political parties in India. Established in 1885, the INC played a pivotal role in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule. The party was founded during a session of the Indian National Congress held in Bombay (now Mumbai), to obtain a greater share in government for educated Indians.
The history of the Indian National Congress (INC) is deeply intertwined with India’s struggle for independence and the subsequent development of its political landscape. Here are the key milestones in the history of the Indian National Congress:
The Indian National Congress has played a crucial role in shaping the political, social, and economic trajectory of modern India. Its history reflects the diversity of ideologies within the party and its central role in the struggle for India’s independence.
The list of Indian National Congress (INC) Presidents shows us the leaders who have guided the party since it started in 1885. From the beginning with Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee to later leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi, each president has played an important role. This list helps us see how the INC has been part of India’s history, from the fight for independence to the present day, adapting to changes in the country’s politics. Each leader in the list has left their mark on the party and its role in India.
President | Term |
Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee | 1885 |
Dadabhai Naoroji | 1886 |
Badruddin Tyabji | 1887 |
George Yule | 1888 |
William Wedderburn | 1889 |
Dadabhai Naoroji | 1890 |
Alfred Webb | 1894 |
Dadabhai Naoroji | 1895 |
Rahimtulla M. Sayani | 1896 |
Sir C. Sankaran Nair | 1897 |
Ananda Charlu | 1898 |
Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee | 1899 |
Sir T. Prakasam | 1900 |
Dinshaw Wacha | 1901 |
Nawab Syed Muhammad Bahadur | 1902 |
Lalmohan Ghosh | 1903 |
Gopal Krishna Gokhale | 1905 |
Dadabhai Naoroji | 1906 |
Rashbihari Ghosh | 1907 |
Annie Besant | 1917 |
Motilal Nehru | 1919 |
Lala Lajpat Rai | 1920 |
C. Vijayaraghavachari | 1921 |
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad | 1923 |
Sarojini Naidu | 1925 |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 1929, 1936-37, 1951-54 |
Sardar Patel | 1931 |
Rajendra Prasad | 1934, 1939-40 |
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad | 1940-46 |
J.B. Kripalani | 1947-48 |
Pattabhi Sitaramayya | 1948-49 |
Jawaharlal Nehru | 1955-56 |
The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded by A.O. Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Wacha, Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee, Monomohun Ghose, William Wedderburn, Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Wacha, Monomohun Ghose, Dadabhai Naoroji, William Wedderburn, and others. Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee served as the first President of the Indian National Congress during its inaugural session in 1885 held in Bombay (now Mumbai). The party was formed to obtain a greater share of government for educated Indians and advocate for political representation
The Indian National Congress was started by Allan Octavian Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji, and Dinshaw Edulji Wacha on 28 December 1885. This information is important for the UPSC Mains exam. The table below shows the different meetings of the Indian National Congress and who led each one, which is useful for the civil services exam.
Year | Location | President | Importance |
1885 | Bombay | W C Bonnerjee | 1st session attended by 72 delegates |
1886 | Calcutta | Dadabhai Naoroji | National Congress and National Conference |
1887 | Madras | Syed Badruddin Tyabji | Appeal made to Muslims to join hands with other national leaders |
1888 | Allahabad | George Yule | First English president |
1889 | Bombay | Sir William Wedderburn | – |
1890 | Calcutta | Feroz Shah Mehta | – |
1891 | Nagpur | P. Ananda Charlu | – |
1892 | Allahabad | W C Bonnerjee | – |
1893 | Lahore | Dadabhai Naoroji | – |
1894 | Madras | Alfred Webb | – |
1895 | Poona | Surendranath Banerjee | – |
1896 | Calcutta | Rahimtullah M. Sayani | National song ‘Vande Mataram’ sung for the first time |
1897 | Amravati | C. Sankaran Nair | – |
1898 | Madras | Ananda Mohan Bose | – |
1899 | Lucknow | Romesh Chandra Dutt | – |
1900 | Lahore | N G Chandavarkar | – |
1901 | Calcutta | Dinshaw E. Wacha | – |
1902 | Ahmedabad | Surendranath Banerjee | – |
1903 | Madras | Lal Mohan Ghosh | – |
1904 | Bombay | Sir Henry Cotton | – |
1905 | Benares | Gopal Krishna Gokhale | Expressed resentment against the partition of Bengal |
1906 | Calcutta | Dadabhai Naoroji | The word ‘Swaraj’ was mentioned for the first time |
1907 | Surat | Rash Behari Ghosh | Party splits into extremists and moderates |
1908 | Madras | Rash Behari Ghosh | Previous session continued |
1909 | Lahore | Madan Mohan Malaviya | Indian Councils Act, 1909 |
1910 | Allahabad | Sir William Wedderburn | – |
1911 | Calcutta | Bishan Narayan Dhar | ‘Jana Gana Mana’ sung for the first time |
1912 | Bankipore (Patna) | Raghunath Narasinha Mudholkar | – |
1913 | Karachi | Syed Mohammed | – |
1914 | Madras | Bhupendra Nath Basu | – |
1915 | Bombay | Satyendra Prasanna Sinha | – |
1916 | Lucknow | Ambica Charan Mazumdar | Lucknow Pact – joint session with the Muslim League |
1917 | Calcutta | Annie Besant (1847 – 1933) | First woman president of the INC |
1918 | Bombay And Delhi | Syed Hasan Imam (Bombay) And Madan Mohan Malaviya (Delhi) | Two sessions were held. First in Bombay in August/September Second in Delhi in December |
1919 | Amritsar | Motilal Nehru | Jallianwala Bagh massacre strongly condemned |
1920 | Nagpur | C Vijayaraghavachariar | – |
1921 | Ahmedabad | Hakim Ajmal Khan (acting President For C R Das) | – |
1922 | Gaya | C R Das | – |
1923 | Kakinada | Maulana Mohammad Ali, | – |
1924 | Belgaum | M K Gandhi | – |
1925 | Kanpur | Sarojini Naidu (1879 – 1949) | First Indian woman president |
1926 | Guwahati | S Srinivasa Iyengar | – |
1927 | Madras | M A Ansari | – |
1928 | Calcutta | Motilal Nehru | All India Youth Congress formed |
1929 | Lahore | Jawaharlal Nehru | Resolution for ‘Poorna Swaraj.’ Civil Disobedience movement for complete independence to be launched, 26 January to be observed as ‘Independence Day’. |
1930 | No Session | – | – |
1931 | Karachi | Vallabhbhai Patel | Resolution on fundamental rights and national economic progress. Gandhi-Irwin pact endorsed. Gandhi nominated to represent INC in the second round table conference |
1932 | Delhi | Amrit Ranchhorddas Seth | – |
1933 | Calcutta | Malaviya Was Elected But Mrs Nellie Sengupta Presided | – |
1934 | Bombay | Rajendra Prasad | – |
1937 | Lucknow | Jawaharlal Nehru | – |
1936 | Faizpur | Jawaharlal Nehru | First rural session/first session to be held in a village |
1938 | Haripura | Subhas Chandra Bose | National planning committee set up under Nehru |
1939 | Tripuri | Subhas Chandra Bose | Bose was elected but had to resign since Gandhi supported Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Instead, Rajendra Prasad was appointed |
1940 | Ramgarh | Abul Kalam Azad | – |
1941-45 | – | – | No session because of arrest |
1946 | Meerut | Acharya Kripalani | The last session before the independence |
1948 | Jaipur | Pattabhi Sitaramayya | First session after independence |
1950 | Nashik | Purushottam Das Tandon | Resigned in 1951; Nehru became President |
1951 | Delhi | Jawaharlal Nehru | – |
1953 | Hyderabad | Jawaharlal Nehru | – |
1954 | Kalyani | Jawaharlal Nehru | – |
1955 | Avadi(madras) | U. N. Dhebar | – |
1956 | Amritsar | U. N. Dhebar | – |
1958 | Gauhati | U. N. Dhebar | – |
1959 | Nagpur | Indira Gandhi | – |
1960 | Bangalore | Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy | – |
1961 | Bhavnagar | Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy | – |
1962 | Bhubaneshwar | Damodaran Sanjvayya | – |
1963 | Patna | Damodaran Sanjvayya | – |
1964 | Bhubaneshwar | K. Kamaraj | – |
1965 | Durgapur | K. Kamaraj | – |
Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee was the first President of the Indian National Congress, serving during its inaugural session in 1885 in Bombay. A distinguished barrister, he laid the foundation for the INC as a platform for political expression and representation of Indian interests. Bonnerjee advocated constitutional methods for Indian participation in governance, setting the tone for subsequent leaders in the party. His presidency marked a crucial step in India’s political awakening and its journey toward self-governance.
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