Became Chief Minister at 29? Inside the Incredible Story of India's Youngest CM Ever

Became Chief Minister at 29? Inside the Incredible Story of India's Youngest CM Ever

Key Takeaways

• A Chief Minister is the head of a state government in India. The Prime Minister leads the whole country. A Chief Minister leads one state.

• India's biggest record for the youngest Chief Minister was set in the 1970s.

• This leader became CM before turning 30. Most leaders are much older when they take this role.

India has 28 states. Each state has its own Chief Minister. A Chief Minister runs the state government. This means looking after schools, hospitals, roads, and law and order. Most Chief Ministers are senior leaders. They are usually in their 50s or 60s.

But one leader got this job in his twenties. Most people are still building their careers at that age. He still holds the record today. This article will tell you who he is, when he became CM, and why people often confuse him with a different leader.

Youngest Chief Minister in India Ever

The youngest person to ever become a Chief Minister in India is Prem Khandu Thungon. He became the first Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He was just 29 years, 2 months, and 8 days old. At that time, Arunachal Pradesh was not a full state. It was a Union Territory.

Thungon was born on 5 June 1946 in Shergaon, a place in Arunachal Pradesh. He started his political career with the Janata Party. Later, he also became a Union Minister in the central government.

There is one more leader who came close. M. O. H. Farook became Chief Minister of Pondicherry (now called Puducherry) on 9 April 1967. He was 29 years and 7 months old. He was a few months older than Thungon.

Here is an important point that many people miss. Both Arunachal Pradesh and Pondicherry were Union Territories, not full states, when these two leaders took office. So there is a different record for the youngest CM of a full state. That record belongs to Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. He became Chief Minister of Assam on 24 December 1985. He was 33 years and 1 day old.

When Was Prem Khandu Thungo Appointed?

Prem Khandu Thungon took oath as Chief Minister on 13 August 1975. This was the same year Arunachal Pradesh became a Union Territory. He stayed in this post until 18 September 1979. His term lasted about 4 years.

Who is the Current Youngest Chief Minister in India?

Many students search for "youngest CM in India" and find the name Pema Khandu. He is the current Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. This often causes confusion. 

Pema Khandu was born on 21 August 1979. He took oath as Chief Minister on 17 July 2016. He was 36 years, 10 months, and 27 days old. By 2016, Arunachal Pradesh had already become a full state. It got full statehood in 1987.

Here is the simple difference between the two leaders:

• Pema Khandu is the youngest Chief Minister in India right now. He is still in office today, and he is younger than most other CMs.

• He is not the youngest Chief Minister in Indian history. That record belongs to Prem Khandu Thungon. Thungon was almost 8 years younger than Pema Khandu when he took oath.

List of Youngest Chief Ministers in India

Quick Revision Box

The record for the youngest Chief Minister in India belongs to Prem Khandu Thungon. He became CM of Arunachal Pradesh in 1975 at just 29 years old, when it was still a Union Territory. The record for the youngest CM of a full state belongs to Prafulla Kumar Mahanta of Assam. He took office at 33 years old in 1985. People often confuse Pema Khandu, the current CM of Arunachal Pradesh, with the record holder. But he only holds the title of youngest CM in India today, not the all-time record.