Krishan Kant

Krishan Kant (February 28, 1927 - July 27, 2002) was the vice-president of India from 1997 until his death.

Kant was born in Amritsar. He took part in the Indian independence movement as a youth and continued to be involved in politics, eventually being elected to Parliament. He served as governor of Andhra Pradesh from 1990 to 1997, becoming one of India's longest-serving governors.He with Madhu Limaye was also responsible for the collapse of the Morarji Desai government installed by that coalition, by insisting that no member of the Janata party could simultaneously be a member of an alternative social or political organisation. This attack on "dual membership" was directed specifically at members of the Janata party who had been members of the Jan Sangh, and continued to be members of the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Jan Sangh's ideological parent. The issue led to fall of Morarji Desai government in 1979, and the destruction of the Janata coalition [ "In Pursuit of Lakshmi: The Political Economy of the Indian State", By Lloyd I. Rudolph and Susanne H. Rudolph, University of Chicago Press, 1987. pp 457-459. ]

He was elected vice-president by Parliament as the joint candidate of the Indian National Congress and United Front. He died in New Delhi. He is the only Indian Vice President to die in office.

References

External links

* [http://www.indianembassy.org/special/cabinet/kant.htm Profile] on Embassy of India in Washington website

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
before = K. R. Narayanan
title = Vice President of India
years =August 21, 1997-July 27, 2002
after = Bhairon Singh Shekhawat