K. R. Narayanan

K. R. Narayanan was born on October 27, 1920, in Uzhavoor, Kerala, into modest circumstances in the Paravan Dalit community. Overcoming severe caste discrimination and walking miles barefoot to school, he earned first-class honors in English Literature from the University of Travancore. A scholarship funded his studies at the prestigious London School of Economics, where he was mentored by the legendary political scientist Harold Laski.

Upon returning to India, Jawaharlal Nehru inducted Narayanan into the Indian Foreign Service in 1949. Over an illustrious diplomatic career spanning three decades, he served as India’s Ambassador to Thailand, Turkey, the People's Republic of China (normalizing ties in 1976), and the United States (1980–1984). Entering politics, he was elected to the Lok Sabha three times, served as Union Minister of State, Vice President of India (1992–1997), and in 1997 was elected President of India with over 95 percent of electoral college votes—the first Dalit to hold the nation's supreme constitutional office. As President, Narayanan earned universal reverence as a 'Working President' who exercised independent constitutional judgment, twice returning cabinet recommendations for President's Rule and safeguarding secular, federalist traditions.