Kalyan Singh, Politician
Politician

Kalyan Singh

Born 5 January 1932 · Uttar Pradesh — Died 21 August 2021

Serving twice as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and overseeing the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.

Kalyan Singh was an Indian politician and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who twice served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He was the Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh during the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992. He was a prominent figure within Hindu nationalism, and in the agitation to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

✨

A detail that
surprised us

“

Kalyan Singh won the Uttar Pradesh assembly seat from Atrauli ten times across different parties, including Bharatiya Jana Sangh, BJP, Janata Party, and Rashtriya Kranti Party.

The Story

1
In 1967, Kalyan Singh won the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly seat from Atrauli, beginning a political tenure that included nine more election victories from the same constituency over nearly four decades.
2
🌟 As Chief Minister in 1991, Singh accelerated administrative reforms in Uttar Pradesh, mandating deed registrations within two working days and cleaning irrigation canals for the first time in decades.
3In December 1992, during his first term as Chief Minister, the Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya, an event that led to his resignation and marked a turning point in Indian politics.
4Singh’s political journey involved multiple party shifts: he left BJP in 1999 to form the Rashtriya Kranti Party, returned in 2004, left again in 2009, and rejoined BJP before the 2014 elections.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Vibhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1980, amidst his otherwise consistent electoral success, Kalyan Singh lost the Atrauli assembly seat to Anwar Khan of the Indian National Congress, marking his only defeat in ten assembly contests there.

🖼️

Through the Years

7 photographs from the archives
Kalyan Singh, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, in an official portrait (2014)
Kalyan Singh, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, in an official portrait (2014)
2014
Kalyan Singh, Governor of Rajasthan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi (2014)
Kalyan Singh, Governor of Rajasthan, calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi (2014)
Kalyan Singh meeting Minister Dr. Mahesh Sharma in Jaipur, Rajasthan (2015)
Kalyan Singh welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jaipur, Rajasthan (2018)

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh
Kalyan Singh was born into the Lodhi community in what was then the United Provinces, now Uttar Pradesh.
1932
⚡
Career
Elected MLA from Atrauli first time
Kalyan Singh won his first election as a Bharatiya Jana Sangh candidate from Atrauli constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
1967
⚡
Career
First term as Chief Minister begins
Singh took office as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and initiated administrative reforms.
1991
⚡
Career
Babri Masjid demolished during tenure
The demolition of Babri Masjid occurred under Singh's chief ministership, leading to his resignation.
1992
⚡
Career
Appointed Governor of Rajasthan
Kalyan Singh was sworn in as Governor of Rajasthan, a post he held till 2019.
2014
🕊️
Death
Died in Lucknow
Kalyan Singh passed away in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, marking the end of a turbulent political life.
2021
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

During the Emergency (1975-77), Kalyan Singh was jailed for 21 months, a period that intensified his opposition stature and shaped his political resolve.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

While Governor of Rajasthan from 2014 to 2019, Singh also held additional charge as Governor of Himachal Pradesh between January and August 2015, managing two state governorships concurrently.

03 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Kalyan Singh’s moniker 'Hindu Hriday Samrat' was later appropriated by others, but he was the original bearer of this title reflecting his mass appeal in the early 1990s.

No quote recorded for Kalyan Singh yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
No Regret, No Repentance, No Sorrow, No Grief | Kalyan Singh
More from this archive
No Regret, No Repentance, No Sorrow, No Grief | Kalyan Singh
01
No Regret, No Repentance, No Sorrow, No Grief | Kalyan Singh
Kalyan Singh Last Interview on Ram Mandir: कल्याण सिंह ने खुद बताई उस दिन की पूरी कहानी Ayodhya 1992
02
Kalyan Singh Last Interview on Ram Mandir: कल्याण सिंह ने खुद बताई उस दिन की पूरी कहानी Ayodhya 1992
Babri demolition: Is Kalyan Singh guilty?
03
Babri demolition: Is Kalyan Singh guilty?
Late CM of UP and BJP veteran Sri Kalyan Singh's interview with Rajat Sharma of India TV
04
Late CM of UP and BJP veteran Sri Kalyan Singh's interview with Rajat Sharma of India TV
Story of Ayodhya Babri Masjid | Mulayam Singh | Kalyan Singh | Atal Advani | Part-04 |
05
Story of Ayodhya Babri Masjid | Mulayam Singh | Kalyan Singh | Atal Advani | Part-04 |
दुर्लभ वीडियो | Kalyan singh best speech 1992
06
दुर्लभ वीडियो | Kalyan singh best speech 1992
Former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh's famous Speech After Babri Masjid Demolition
07
Former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh's famous Speech After Babri Masjid Demolition
Kalyan Singh Last Interview on Ram Mandir: अयोध्या पर 'बाबू जी' का आखिरी इंटरव्यू देखा क्या? Ayodhya
08
Kalyan Singh Last Interview on Ram Mandir: अयोध्या पर 'बाबू जी' का आखिरी इंटरव्यू देखा क्या? Ayodhya
Babri Masjid Demolition Inside Story: Kalyan Singh का वो फोन कॉल, जिसने दिल्ली को हिला दिया !
09
Babri Masjid Demolition Inside Story: Kalyan Singh का वो फोन कॉल, जिसने दिल्ली को हिला दिया !
Kalyan Singh, politician: We repaired fractured morale, created discipline, CM's played caste card
10
Kalyan Singh, politician: We repaired fractured morale, created discipline, CM's played caste card

🌱 What changed because of them

Kalyan Singh brought a critical OBC support base into the BJP, reshaping the party’s caste composition in Uttar Pradesh and contributing to the rise of Hindutva politics centered around the Ram temple movement. His administrative reforms in the early 1990s introduced governance changes that influenced bureaucratic processes in the state. Moreover, his complex political affiliations and leadership during the Babri Masjid demolition permanently altered political discourse in India.

💬 Social Buzz

💬

What are people saying about Kalyan Singh?

Share posts from historians, journalists and notable voices about this icon. 🇮🇳

💭 Memories & Tributes

Share your memory of Kalyan Singh...
Loading memories...
Is this profile accurate?