In Pics | Non-Gandhi Congress presidents (Post 1947)

The race for Indian National Congress (INC) president post is heating up with leaders such as Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor, and Manish Tewari throwing their hat in the ring. While this is the first election for the president post in 22 years, it will be not the first time that a non-Gandhi is appointed.Scroll for a list of non-Gandhis who held the top position in the Indian National Congress (INC) party post 1947.

JB Kripalani (1947): The first president of the Congress party in Independent India was JB Kripalani who held the top post for a brief period. Credit: Twitter/INCIndia

Pattabhi Sitaramayya (1948-49): Pattabhi Sitaraimayya was appointed as the party chief in 1948. Better known as the historian of the Indian National Congress (INC), he was a member of the JVP Committee. Credit: INC

Purushottam Das Tandon (1950): Popularly known as UP Gandhi, freedom fighter Purushottam Das Tandon was elected as Congress President in 1950. A die-hard Congressman, PD Tandon was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961 for his contribution in securing India’s freedom. Credit: INC

UN Dhebar (1955-1959): CM of Saurashtra, UN Dhebar served as Congress president from 1955 to 1959. Dhebar led the Satyagraha in the princely state of Rajkot and actively participated in the Freedom Movement. Credit: INC

NS Reddy (1960-1963): Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was the sixth President of India and also served as the Congress president from 1960-1963. A great statesman and a political stalwart, he also served as the speaker of Lok Sabha twice in his political career. Credit: INC

Kumaraswami Kamaraj (1964-1967): South Stalwart Kumaraswami Kamaraj served as Congress president from 1064-1967. He played a key role in bringing free education to the disadvantaged and introducing the mid-day meal scheme in Tamil Nadu. Credit: INC

S Nijalingappa (1968-1969): S Nijalingappa, who played an important role in the Indian Freedom Movement as well as in the Karnataka Unification Movement, served as the Congress president from 1968 to 1969. He was the fourth chief minister of Karnataka and held the CM position between 1956 and 1958, and once again from 1962 to 1968. Credit: DH Pool Photo

Jagjivan Ram (1970-1971): Jagjivan Ram popularly known as Babuji was a champion of Dalits. He was elected as the Congress party president in 1970. He also served in multiple ministries of which his tenure as defence minister during the 1971 Indo-Pak war was particularly noteworthy. Credit: INC

Shankar Dayal Sharma (1972-1974): A celebrated lawyer, Shankar Dayal Sharma served as Congress president from 1972 to 1974. Credit: INC

Dev Kant Barooah (1975-1977): Dev Kant Barooah served as Congress president from 1975 to 1977. The slogan ‘India is Indira and Indira is India’ was coined by him during the Emergency. Credit: INC

Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (1992-1996): P V Narasimha Rao, who is referred to as the 'Father of Indian Economic Reforms', served as the Congress president from 1992 to 1996. Credit: DH Pool Photo

Sitaram Kesari (1996-1998): Sitaram Kesari served as Congress president from 1996 to 1998. Credit: Twitter/@HardeepSPuri