The Constitution Framers

On 9th December 1946, the Constituent Assembly of India met for the first time in the Constitution Hall now popularly referred to as Central Hall of Parliament House. 207 members were present who signed the register and submitted their credentials. As of December 1947, the Assembly had 299 members: 229 members elected from 12 Indian Provinces and 70 members nominated from 29 Princely States.

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Gender

Constituency

Religion

Party

Assembly Committees

Year of Birth

Socialist member of Arya Samaj, Prominent Hindi supporter

Algu Rai Shastri

1900 - 1967

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Socialist member of Arya Samaj, Prominent Hindi supporter

Alladi Ayyar, Eminent Constitutional Law Expert, Important Constitution-maker.

Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar

1883 - 1953

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 3

Eminent Constitutional Law Expert, Important Constitution-maker.

Ammu Swaminathan

1894 - 1978

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

One of the founding members of the Women’s India Association; member of first Lok Sabha in 1952 and Rajya Sabha in 1954

B. Pocker Sahib Bahadur

1890 - 1965

Party: All-India Muslim League

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 1

Eminent Muslim League leader, Founding member of the Kerala Muslim Educational Association

B Shiva Rao - Prominent journalist and interlocutor; compiled 6 volumes on Constituent Assembly debates and documents

B. Shiva Rao

1891 - 1975

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 1

Prominent journalist and interlocutor; compiled 6 volumes on Constituent Assembly debates and documents

B.G. Kher

1888 - 1957

Party:

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: 3

A premier politician in Bombay; helped to establish the Poona University (now known as the Savitribai Phule Pune University)

B.H. Khardekar

1903 - 1963

Party:

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

A passionate advocate of education and teacher; staunch advocate against prohibition of alcohol; avid cricket enthusiast

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played the most critical role in the drafting of the Constitution.

B.R. Ambedkar

1891 - 1956

Party: Indian National Congress, Scheduled Caste Federation

Constituency: West Bengal, Bombay

Committees: 3

Father of the Indian Constitution, Eminent Scholar and Social Reformer, Renounced Hinduism to adopt Navayana Buddhism

Bakshi Tek Chand

Bakshi Tek Chand

1883 -

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: East Punjab

Committees: 3

Former Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court; Played a key role in public life during Partition.

Bhawanji Arjan Khimji

1902 - 1970

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

Long-time politician within the Indian National Congress; cotton merchant and businessman by profession

C. Rajagopalachari

1878 - 1972

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Popularly referred to as ‘Rajaji’, a prominent Indian statesman who was a firm Gandhian and a member of the Indian National Congress.

C. Subramaniam

1910 - 2000

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Father of the Green Revolution in India; a long-standing politician within the Indian National Congress; Bharat Ratna awardee in 1998

Chaudhari Hyder Husein

1890 -

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Member of the Provisional Parliament and first Lok Sabha in 1952; founded the Rotary Club in Lucknow

Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman

Chaudhari Khaliquzzaman

1889 - 1973

Party: All-India Muslim League

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Prominent Muslim League politician, later migrated to Pakistan

Only Dalit Female Member of Constituent Assembly, Eminent Social Activist

Dakshayani Velayudhan

1912 - 1978

Party:

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 1

Sole Female Dalit Member of Constituent Assembly

Damodar Swarup Seth

1896 - 1965

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Advocate for minority rights; active freedom fighter; served as a member of various socialist political parties

G. Durgabai

1909 - 1981

Party:

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 1

A freedom fighter from the age of 12; an important figure in the literacy movement in India, especially education for girls

G.V. Mavalankar

1888 - 1956

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

Known as the 'Father of Lok Sabha', he was the Speaker of the first Lok Sabha in 1952; an active advocate for social issues

Eminent Freedom Fighter from Kumaon, First Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh

Govind Ballabh Pant

1887 - 1961

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 2

Eminent Freedom Fighter from Kumaon, First Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh

Prominent Bengali Christian leader, Vice-President of Constituent Assembly

H.C. Mookherjee

1877 - 1956

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: West Bengal

Committees: 3

Prominent Bengali Christian leader, Vice-President of Constituent Assembly

One of the few female drafters of the Indian Constitution, prominent women's rights activist

Hansa Jivraj Mehta

1897 - 1995

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: 3

One of the few female drafters of the Indian Constitution, prominent women's rights activist

Har Govind Pant

1885 - 1957

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Journalist and lawyer advocating for awareness around political movements for Independence; Deputy Speaker of the UP Legislature

Hari Vinayak Pataskar

1892 - 1970

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

First Union Law Minister of 1952 Lok Sabha, introduced the Hindu Code Bill; first Governor of Madhya Pradesh

Hasrat Mohani

Hasrat Mohani

1875 - 1951

Party: All-India Muslim League

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 1

Founding Member of the Communist Part of India; A noted Urdu poet well-known for coining the slogan, "Inquilab Zindabad".

Hriday Nath Kunzru

1887 - 1978

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Two-time member of the Rajya Sabha; Member of the States Reorganisation Commission and the University Grants Commission

J. B. Kripalani

1888 - 1982

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 1

A formidable educationist, active freedom fighter and Gandhian; advocated for socialism and upholding fundamental rights

Prominent Dalit Freedom fighter, Independent India's first Labour Minister

Jagjivan Ram

1908 - 1986

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bihar

Committees: 3

Prominent Dalit Freedom fighter, Independent India's first Labour Minister

Jaipal Singh

Jaipal Singh

1903 - 1970

Party: Independent

Constituency: Bihar

Committees: 1

Exceptional Hockey player, writer and tribal rights advocate; Captained India's first official Hockey team to the Olympics.

Jairamdas Daulatram

Jairamdas Daulatram

1891 - 1979

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: East Punjab

Committees: 4

Former governor of Bihar and Assam; first Minister of Agriculture; passionate advocate for Sindhi language and community

Jaspat Roy Kapoor

1896 - 1984

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Jawaharlal Nehru - India's first Prime Minister; shaped India's early foreign policy; a key leader of the Indian National Congress and the Independence movement

Jawaharlal Nehru

1889 - 1964

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 1

India's first Prime Minister; shaped India's early foreign policy; a key leader of the Indian National Congress and the Independence movement

Jerome D’Souza

1897 - 1977

Party:

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

First Rector in India; a prominent diplomat of the Nehru government; proficient in several languages

Jivraj Narayan Mehta

1886 - 1978

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

An eminent physician and administrator; the first Chief Minister of Gujarat; the founder of the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad

John Matthai

1886 - 1959

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

One of the architects of the Bombay Plan; reputed academic; former Vice-Chancellor of Bombay and Kerala University

Jwala Prasad Srivastava

1889 - 1954

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Knighted by the British in 1934; a British loyalist and one of Kanpur's leading industrialists; involved with the Hindu Mahasabha

K. Kamaraj

1903 - 1975

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Former Chief Minister of Madras; eminent politician within the Indian National Congress; Bharat Ratna awardee in 1976

KC Neogy

K.C. Neogy

1888 - 1970

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: West Bengal

Committees: None

Eminent lawyer and legislator, chairperson of first Finance Commission

K M Munshi

K.M. Munshi

1887 - 1971

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: 4

K.T. Shah

K.T. Shah

1888 - 1953

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bihar

Committees: 2

Eminent economist, advocate and writer; An important socialist face in the Constituent Assembly.

Kailash Nath Katju

1887 - 1968

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 3

Prominent lawyer during Independence who fought cases for political prisoners; also involved in educationl and journalistic endeavours

Kala Venkata Rao

1900 - 1959

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Active freedom fighter during the Independence movement; former Minister of Finance and Revenue for Andhra Pradesh upon its creation

Kallur Subba Rao

1897 - 1973

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Padma Shri awardee in 1967; a gifted orator and nationalist; former Deputy Speaker of the Andhra Assembly

Kameshwar Singh, Maharaja of Darbhanga

Kameshwar Singh

1907 - 1962

Party: Independent

Constituency: Bihar

Committees: None

Independent member from Bihar, Maharaja of Darbhanga, Prominent Zamindar

Kanayalal Nanabhai Desai

1886 -

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

Involved in regional politics in Gujarat; a member of the First Lok Sabha in 1952

K. Hanumanthaiah

Kengal Hanumanthaiah

1908 - 1980

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Mysore

Committees: None

First chief Minister of Mysore State

Keshavrao Jedhe

1896 - 1959

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

A strong leader of political and social reform movements in Maharashtra; founded the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP)

Khandubhai Kasanji Desai

1898 - 1975

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

India's third Labour minister; founded the Indian National Trade Union Congress; active participant in trade union and labour issues

L. Krishnaswami Bharathi

1904 - 1999

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Advocate of Gandhian values and reputed Congress leader; contributed to the official language issue in the Constituent Assembly

M Ananthasayanam Ayyangar

M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar

1891 - 1978

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 1

A scholar, a seasoned parliamentarian and a skilled lawyer; former speaker of the Lok Sabha

M. R. Jayakar

1873 - 1959

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

First Vice-Chancellor of the University of Poona; eminent jurist and lawyer from Bombay; key member of Hindu Mahasabha

Eminent Parsi member of the Constituent Assembly, Represented socialist strand of Congress

M. R. Masani

1905 - 1998

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: 2

Eminent Parsi member of the Constituent Assembly, Represented socialist strand of Congress

M.A. Muthiah Chettiar

1905 - 1984

Party:

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Active politician in the Madras Legislative Assembly; respected banker and educationist; Padma Bhushan awardee in 1973

Prominent Gandhian activist and social reformer; Opposed preventive detention and suspension of Fundamental Rights in Emergency situations

Mahavir Tyagi

1899 - 1980

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 1

Prominent Gandhian activist and social reformer; Opposed preventive detention and suspension of Fundamental Rights in Emergency situations

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

1888 - 1958

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 3

A prominent member of the Congress Party and the first education minister of independent India.

Mohammad Ismail Khan

1884 - 1958

Party: All-India Muslim League

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Eminent politician and activist from the Muslim League; member of the founding committee of Jamia Milia Islamia University

Mohan Lal Saksena

1896 - 1965

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Minister of Rehabilitation between 1948-50; active leader within the Indian National Congress; lawyer and journalist

Moturi Satyanarayana

1905 - 1995

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Proficient linguist and active freedom fighter; inspired by Gandhi's movement to make Hindi the national language

Muhammad Ismail Sahib

1896 - 1972

Party: All-India Muslim League

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Founded the Indian Union Muslim League party in 1948; one of the 28 Muslim League members in the Constituent Assembly

Drafting Committee Member, Architect of Article 370

N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar

1882 - 1953

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 2

Drafting Committee Member, Architect of Article 370

N.G. Ranga Rao

1900 - 1995

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Strong advocate for farmers' rights; founder of All India Kisan Congress; co-founder of the Swatantra Party

N.V. Gadgil

1896 - 1966

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

Pioneer of various social reform movements; former Governor of Punjab; former vice-chancellor of Poona University

Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy

1913 - 1996

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Reputed politician in Andhra Pradesh; former speaker of the Lok Sabha and youngest President to be elected

O.V. Alagesan

1911 - 1992

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Active freedom fighter; three-time Member of Parliament including Union Minister for Transport and Railways from 1952-57

P. Kakkan

1909 - 1981

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Fierce advocate for the rights of Dalit people and the underprivileged; an active freedom fighter and local Congress politician

P. Subbarayan

1889 - 1962

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 3

Advocate for language rights and Dalit issues; former Governor of Maharashtra and member of first Rajya Sabha

Freedom Fighter. Hindi Advocate, 'Rajarshi'

Purushottam Das Tandon

1882 - 1962

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 2

Freedom Fighter, Hindi Advocate, Given Title of 'Rajarshi'

R. K. Shanmukham Chetty

1892 - 1953

Party: Independent

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

India's first Finance Minister; advocate for Dalit rights and the Tamil language; former Vice-Chancellor of Annamalai University

R.V. Dhulekar

1891 - 1980

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Active freedom fighter; seasoned member of the Congress Party; educationist and advocate for social issues

Rafi Ahmed Kidwai

1894 - 1954

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 2

One of the foremost leaders of the Indian National Congress; active freedom fighter; the first Communications Minister

Rajkumari Amrit Kaur

Rajkumari Amrit Kaur

1889 - 1964

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Central Provinces and Berar

Committees: 4

Long time freedom fighter, Gandhi’s close aide and independent India’s first Minister of Health.

Ramnath Goenka

1904 - 1991

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Founder of the Indian Express; an advocate for free speech and freedom of press; inspired to join the Freedom Struggle because of Gandhi

Ranganath Ramachandra Diwakar

1894 - 1990

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

Former Governor of Bihar and first Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting; key figure in unification of Kannada speaking regions

S. Nagappa

1911 -

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Advocate for the rights of Dalits; architect of the famous Kurnool District Circular that guided local participation for Quit India movement

S. Nijalingappa

1902 - 2000

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: None

Former Chief Minister of Karnataka; active in state politics in Karnataka

Sarat Chandra Bose

1889 - 1950

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: West Bengal

Committees: 1

Socialist republican; founded the Socialist Republican Party in 1947; active revolutionary

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Iron Man of India, Unifier of India

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

1875 - 1950

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Bombay

Committees: 2

Iron Man and Unifier of India, Member and Chairman of key Assembly Committees

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

1888 - 1975

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: None

Second President of India; prolific writer, scholar and educationist; seasoned diplomat representing India at the UN

Stanley Henry Prater

1890 - 1960

Party: Independent

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 2

Representative of the Anglo-Indian community in the Constituent Assembly, naturalist and biologist

Sucheta Kriplani - Active freedom fighter; staunch Gandhian; one of the first few women parliamentarians in independent India

Sucheta Kripalani

1908 - 1974

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Committees: 1

Active freedom fighter; staunch Gandhian; one of the first few women parliamentarians in independent India

Founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, First Minister of Commerce and Industry of Independent India

Syama Prasad Mookerjee

1901 - 1953

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: West Bengal

Committees: 2

Founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, First Minister of Commerce and Industry of Independent India

T. Prakasam

T. Prakasam

1872 - 1957

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

T.A. Ramalingam Chettiar

1881 - 1952

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

An advocate for the cooperative movement during the freedom struggle; an active politician in the Madras presidency

T.M. Kalliannan Gounder

1921 - 2021

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

The youngest member of the Constituent Assembly; an active politician in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

T.T Krishnamachari

1899 - 1974

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Former Finance Minister during the Nehru government; successful industrialist who founded the TTK group; Drafting Committee member

Thirumala Rao

1901 - 1970

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Staunch Gandhian and active freedom fighter; served 17 years in the Indian Parliament including as Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture

U. Srinivasa Malliah

1902 - 1965

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Touted as “Father of Modern Dakshina Kannada District”; a reputed architect and active freedom fighter in the South Canara district

V.C. Kesava Rao

1917 - 1995

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: None

Two-term member of the Rajya Sabha and active local politician in Andhra Pradesh

V.I. Muniswamy Pillai

1889 - 1953

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: Madras

Committees: 1

A leading activist for the Dalit community; one of the signatories of the Poona Pact; a cabinet minister in the Provisional Parliament