List of Railway Ministers of India From 1947 To 2025
Railway Ministers of India: Check the complete list from 1947 to 2025, along with their tenure and important contributions to the growth of Indian Railways.
Parul Rishi21 Aug, 2025
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Railway Ministers of India: In the Central Government, the Minister of Railways holds a key position. The first Indian to hold this role was Asaf Ali, who served from September 2, 1946, to August 14, 1947, just before India gained independence. Earlier, the Railway Ministry was headed by the Minister of Rail.
Currently, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw is India’s Minister of Railways, succeeding Piyush Goyal. Earlier, the Railway Budget was presented separately each year, but since 2017, it has been merged with the Union Budget.
Knowing the list of Railway Ministers of India is important for general awareness. Candidates should be familiar with the names of these ministers, their tenure, and the political parties they represented. This knowledge is especially useful for performing well in the general awareness sections of competitive exams.
Railway Ministers of India
The Railway Minister oversees the Ministry of Railways in the Indian government. They are in charge of all aspects of the country's railway system. This includes managing Indian Railways, which is headed by the Chairman of the Railway Board. The Railway Minister typically holds a cabinet rank and is responsible for the operations of Indian Railways, which is the largest employer globally.Railway Ministers of India List
The role of Railway Minister of India has been held by several notable individuals, including Jagjivan Ram, S.K. Patil, Gulzarilal Nanda, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Bansi Lal. Below is a detailed list of these Railway Ministers, along with their terms in office.| Railway Ministers of India List | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Span |
| 1 | John Mathai | 1947–48 |
| 2 | N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar | 1948–52 |
| 3 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | 1952–56 |
| 4 | Jagjivan Ram | 1956–62 |
| 5 | Swaran Singh | 1962–63 |
| 6 | H. C. Dasappa | 1963–64 |
| 7 | S.K. Patil | 1964–66 |
| 8 | C. M. Poonacha | 1967–69 |
| 9 | Ram Subhag Singh | 1969 |
| 10 | Panampilly Govinda Menon | 1969–70 |
| 11 | Gulzari Lal Nanda | 1970–71 |
| 12 | K. Hanumanthaiya | 1971–72 |
| 13 | T. A. Pai | 1972–73 |
| 14 | Lalit Narayan Mishra | 1973–75 |
| 15 | Kamalapati Tripathi | 1975–77 |
| 16 | Madhu Dandavate | 1977–79 |
| 17 | Kedar Pandey | 1980–81 |
| 18 | Prakash Chandra Sethi | 1982 |
| 19 | A. B. A. Ghani Khan Choudhury | 1982–84 |
| 20 | Bansi Lal | 1984–86 |
| 21 | Mohsina Kidwai | 1986 |
| 22 | Madhavrao Scindia | 1986–89 |
| 23 | George Fernandes | 1989–90 |
| 24 | Janeshwar Mishra | 1990–91 |
| 25 | C. K. Jaffer Sharief | 1991–95 |
| 26 | Ram Vilas Paswan | 1996–98 |
| 27 | Nitish Kumar | 1998–99 |
| 28 | Ram Naik | 1999 |
| 29 | Mamata Banerjee | 1999–01 |
| 30 | Laloo Prasad Yadav | 2004–09 |
| 31 | Dinesh Trivedi | 2011–12 |
| 32 | Mukul Roy | 2012 |
| 33 | C. P. Joshi | 2012, 2013 |
| 34 | Pawan Kumar Bansal | 2012–13 |
| 35 | Mallikarjun Kharge | 2013–14 |
| 36 | D. V. Sadananda Gowda | 2014 |
| 37 | Suresh Prabhu | 2014–17 |
| 38 | Piyush Goyal | 2017–21 |
| 39 | Ashwini Vaishnaw | 2021– Present |
Railway Budget
The first Railway Budget of India was presented in 1924. Until 2016, it was presented separately each year, before the Union Budget. The last standalone Railway Budget was presented on 25th February 2016. Since 2017, the Government of India has merged the Railway Budget with the Union Budget, and this practice continues in 2025.| Other Related Links | |
| Tiger Reserves in India | National Parks in India |
| Biosphere Reserves in India | Elephant Reserves in India |
Railway Ministers of India FAQs
Who is the current Railway Ministers of India?
Ashwini Vaishnaw is the current Railway Ministers of India.
Who was the first woman railway minister of India?
The first female Minister of Railways of India was Mamata Banerjee.
Who is the first train minister?
John Mathai is the first train minister.
Who is the head of Railway Ministry of India?
Currently, the head of Railway Ministry of India is Ashwini Vaishnaw.
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