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Question 48 of 78 · Union Executive: President, VP & PM
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The first Sikh President of India was:

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Answer: Option B — Giani Zail Singh

Detailed Solution

Giani Zail Singh became President of India in July 1982 and was the first Sikh to hold the office.

Early life:

  • He was born on 5 May 1916 in Sandhwan village in Faridkot district of Punjab.
  • The title "Giani" was given to him because of his learning in Sikh scriptures.
  • He took part in the struggle against the rule of the princely state of Faridkot and was imprisoned.

Political career:

  • He was Chief Minister of Punjab from 1972 to 1977.
  • He became Union Home Minister in 1980 in Indira Gandhi's government.
  • He was elected President in 1982 and served until July 1987.

Events during his presidency:

  • Operation Blue Star was carried out at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in June 1984.
  • Indira Gandhi was assassinated in October 1984, and Zail Singh appointed Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister.
  • Anti-Sikh riots broke out in Delhi and other places.
  • His relations with Rajiv Gandhi's government became strained in later years.

Use of the pocket veto:

He kept the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, 1986 pending without giving assent, an important use of the pocket veto.

Death:

He died in 1994 after a road accident.

Other Sikh leaders in high office:

Dr. Manmohan Singh was the first Sikh Prime Minister of India, from 2004 to 2014.

Sardar Hukam Singh was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

Sardar Swaran Singh served as Union Minister of External Affairs and Defence and headed the committee on Fundamental Duties.

Election of the President:

The President is elected by an electoral college of elected MPs and elected MLAs of the states, Delhi and Puducherry.

Why not the other options?

Sardar Swaran Singh, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Sardar Hukam Singh held other high offices but were never President.

Quick tip

Remember: First Sikh President = Giani Zail Singh (1982 to 1987); first Sikh Prime Minister = Dr. Manmohan Singh.

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Union Executive: President, VP & PM — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Union Executive: President, VP & PM, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers the Union Executive: the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, and the Attorney General. It includes their election or appointment, qualifications, powers, removal, and the relationship between the President and the Council of Ministers. Common questions cover the electoral college that elects the President, impeachment under Article 61, the President's ordinance-making power (Article 123) and pardoning power (Article 72), and the fact that the Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Lists of past Presidents and Prime Ministers are also tested. Practise the Union Executive questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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