Who is the First Chief Minister of Uttarakhand?
- Written by: UKSports
- Published on:
- Read Time: 3 min
Who Is the First Chief Minister of Uttarakhand? The Story Behind Nityanand Swami
Quick Answer: Nityanand Swami was the first Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He took oath on 9 November 2000, the same day the state (then called Uttaranchal) was carved out of Uttar Pradesh, and he served until 29 October 2001.
Uttarakhand’s political journey began the moment it became India’s 27th state. Formed on 9 November 2000 after decades of a dedicated statehood movement, the newly created hill state needed a leader who could set up its government from scratch. That responsibility fell on Nityanand Swami, a veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Dehradun, who became the first Chief Minister of Uttarakhand a name that today holds a permanent place in the state’s history.
Early Life and Education
Nityanand Swami was born Nityanand Sharma on 27 December 1927 in Narnaul, then part of Punjab and now in Haryana. Before entering full-time politics, he worked as a lawyer and social worker in Dehradun. He began his political career by contesting from the Dehradun seat as a candidate of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, the political predecessor of the BJP.
Over the following decades, Swami built a long career in Uttar Pradesh politics. He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council from the Kumaon and Garhwal graduate constituencies in 1984, 1990, and 1996. He went on to serve as Vice Chairman of the UP Legislative Council in 1991 and later became its Chairman in 1992, a post he held until 2000. Throughout this period, Swami remained closely involved in the Uttarakhand statehood movement, advocating for a separate hill state and better infrastructure for the region.
Becoming the First Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
When Uttarakhand (then Uttaranchal) was officially formed on 9 November 2000, the BJP leadership chose Nityanand Swami to head the new state’s interim government. He was sworn in as Chief Minister the same day, becoming the first person to hold this office in the state’s history.
His government functioned through the Interim Uttaranchal Assembly, a temporary 30-seat legislature made up of MLAs and MLCs inherited from the undivided Uttar Pradesh Assembly. This interim arrangement remained in place until the state’s first proper elections were held in 2002.
Tenure and Key Contributions
As the first Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Swami’s primary task was setting up the administrative machinery of an entirely new state establishing government departments, deciding on a capital, and laying the groundwork for governance in a hill region with unique geographic challenges. His tenure focused on the early development and stabilisation of the newly formed state.
Swami was also recognised for his long-standing contribution to public life. He received the “Pride of the Doon” award from the Doon Citizen Council for his work in the Dehradun region, and he was honoured with the Uttar Pradesh Ratna in 2000 for his efforts in promoting Hindi as the national language.
Resignation and Successor
Nityanand Swami’s tenure as Chief Minister was relatively short. He resigned voluntarily on 29 October 2001, roughly a year after taking office. Following his resignation, Bhagat Singh Koshyari was appointed as the second Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, continuing to lead the interim government until the state’s first elected assembly took charge in 2002.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving office, Nityanand Swami continued to be respected as an elder statesman within Uttarakhand’s political circles. He passed away on 12 December 2012 in Dehradun at the age of 85, following a prolonged illness. His death was mourned across party lines, with leaders describing him as a guiding figure who played a foundational role in shaping Uttarakhand as a state. He is remembered today primarily as the answer to one of the most frequently asked questions about the state’s history: who was the first Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
List of Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand (In Order)
- Nityanand Swami (2000-2001) – First CM
- Bhagat Singh Koshyari (2001-2002)
- Narayan Datt Tiwari (2002-2007)
- Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (2007-2009, 2011-2012)
- Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” (2009-2011)
- Vijay Bahuguna (2012-2014)
- Harish Rawat (2014, 2016-2017)
- Trivendra Singh Rawat (2017-2021)
- Tirath Singh Rawat (2021)
- Pushkar Singh Dhami (2021-present)
Conclusion
Nityanand Swami’s appointment as the first Chief Minister of Uttarakhand marked the beginning of a new chapter for the hill state, coming after years of struggle for a separate identity within India. While his tenure lasted less than a year, his role in setting up the state’s earliest institutions remains an important part of Uttarakhand’s political history.