7 Race Course Road
Encyclopedia
7, Race Course Road is the official residence
of the Prime Minister of India
, where he lives and holds most of his official or political meetings. Situated on Race Course Road, New Delhi
, the official name of the PM's residence complex is Panchavati. It is spread over 12 acres, comprising five bungalow
s in Lutyens' Delhi
, built in 1980s, which are PM office-cum-residence zone and security establishment, including one occupied by Special Protection Group
(SPG) and another being a guest house, though all are collectively called 7, Race Course Road. The entire Race Course Road, named the Delhi Race Course, which lies right across the road, is now closed to the public. Rajiv Gandhi was the first PM to stay at Race Course Road in 1984, while the present resident is Manmohan Singh
since 2004.
Unlike the 10, Downing Street, it does not house the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
, which is located in the South Block of Secretariat Building, on Raisina Hill
nearby in New Delhi
, where Cabinet Secretariat
functions. The nearest Delhi Metro
station is Race Course
. Then a new Prime Minister is nominated his/her original house is for the time being given a security detail and the new office holder is then advised to move in the 7, RCR at the earliest possible date.
. Jawaharlal Nehru
took up residence in Teen Murti Bhavan, which used to be the residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army
in British India; it was formerly called Flagstaff House. After Nehru's death in 1964, the building was turned to a Nehru Memorial Museum & Library
.
The next Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri
chose 10 Janpath
, where he stayed 1964-1966. It was later allotted to the Congress (I) party, though a part of it became biographical museum, Lal Bhadur Shastri Memorial at 1, Moti Lal Nehru Place (formerly 10 Janpath), adjacent to the complex. The current resident of 10 Janpath is Congress President, Sonia Gandhi
.
After the assassination of Indira Gandhi
at her 1, Safdarjung Road
residence garden while going towards neighbouring 1, Akbar Road office for an interview on October 30, 1984, it was converted into the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum.
Rajiv Gandhi
her son and successor as PM, along with his family, became the first occupant of 7, Race Course Road in 1984. The subsequent Prime Minister V. P. Singh
made it into a permanent residence of the Prime Minister.
Today the word "7 Race Course Road", as become synonymous with the Prime Minister of India, in political parlance, especially when used in conjunction with its power tussle with 10 Janpath
. In November 2010, Prime minister, Manmohan Singh
hosted a private dinner for visiting US president Barack Obama
and the American first lady at 7, Race Course Road.
s 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, including 5, Race Course Road, the Private Residential Zone for the Prime Minister, though he operates from 7, Race Course Road. Bungalow 9 is occupied by Special Protection Group
(SPG), while Bungalow 3 has been converted into a guesthouse for PM's guests.
Over the years its security has gradually been beefed up, a bulletproof glasstube passage was built in 2003, connecting 3, Race Course Road, at the Prime Minister’s residence to Panchvati or 7 Race Course, where the PM meets people and delegations and holds official meetings. Also a concrete wall was added on the periphery, separating the house from the main road, to render any truck bomb or a car bomb attack ineffective. With S Venugopalachari, a TDP
MP, vacating 1, Race Course Road, on government’s requests and the Special Protection Group (SPG) taken over the bungalow, the entire road with bungalows number 1, 3. 5, 7 and 9 came under PM’s offices. However PM residence is surrounded by various high rise building and public structures, from Samrat Hotel, Ashoka Hotel and state guesthouses on the one side to the Delhi Gymkhana
Club (DCG), and Delhi Race Course which lies across the road, thus plans for a Helipad within the complex was muted for several years for the reason. In fact by 2004, the Intelligence Bureau
(IB) took over most the rooms of Samrat Hotel overlooking the PM's residence and watchtowers were erected inside Delhi Gymkhana and it can be accessed only via Safdarjung Road entry.
In 2004, the road was refurbished at a cost of Rs 1 crore to make it the permanent residence of the Indian Prime Minister.
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, where he lives and holds most of his official or political meetings. Situated on Race Course Road, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, the official name of the PM's residence complex is Panchavati. It is spread over 12 acres, comprising five bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
s in Lutyens' Delhi
Lutyens' Delhi
Lutyens' Delhi is an area in Delhi, specifically New Delhi, India, named after the leading British architect Edwin Lutyens , who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building when India was part of the British Empire in the 1920s and 1930s...
, built in 1980s, which are PM office-cum-residence zone and security establishment, including one occupied by Special Protection Group
Special Protection Group
The Special Protection Group is the executive protection agency of the Government of India. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India, other top officials, and their immediate families. The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. It is one...
(SPG) and another being a guest house, though all are collectively called 7, Race Course Road. The entire Race Course Road, named the Delhi Race Course, which lies right across the road, is now closed to the public. Rajiv Gandhi was the first PM to stay at Race Course Road in 1984, while the present resident is Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
since 2004.
Unlike the 10, Downing Street, it does not house the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
Prime Minister's Office (India)
The Prime Minister's Office known as PMO consists of the immediate staff of the Prime Minister of India, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the Prime Minister. The PMO is headed by the Principal Secretary, currently TKA Nair...
, which is located in the South Block of Secretariat Building, on Raisina Hill
Raisina Hill
Raisina Hill is an area of Lutyens' Delhi, New Delhi, housing India's most important government buildings, including Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India and the Secretariat building housing the Prime Minister's Office and several other important ministries...
nearby in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, where Cabinet Secretariat
Cabinet Secretariat
The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the administration of the Government of India. It functions from the Secretariat Building, New Delhi, where most of Cabinet of India sits...
functions. The nearest Delhi Metro
Delhi Metro
Delhi Metro is a rapid transit system serving Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region of India. It is one of the largest metro networks in the world. The network consists of six lines with a total length of with 142 stations of which 35 are underground...
station is Race Course
Race Course (Delhi Metro)
The Race Course Metro Station is located on the Yellow Line of the Delhi Metro.It services the Race Course Road area in Central Delhi, and the Prime Minister's official residence, 7, Race Course Road is located nearby....
. Then a new Prime Minister is nominated his/her original house is for the time being given a security detail and the new office holder is then advised to move in the 7, RCR at the earliest possible date.
History
Earlier, the Prime Ministers of India lived in their own house or house allotted to them through Parliament allotment by virtue of being an MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
took up residence in Teen Murti Bhavan, which used to be the residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in British India; it was formerly called Flagstaff House. After Nehru's death in 1964, the building was turned to a Nehru Memorial Museum & Library
Nehru Memorial Museum & Library
The Nehru Memorial Museum & Library is a library in New Delhi, India, which aims to preserve and reconstruct the history of the Indian independence movement. Housed within the Teen Murti House complex, it is an autonomous institution under the Indian Ministry of Culture, and was founded in 1964...
.
The next Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur Srivastava Shastri was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of India and a significant figure in the Indian independence movement.-Early life:...
chose 10 Janpath
10 Janpath
10 Janpath is a house on Janpath road, New Delhi. It is presently the official residence of Sonia Gandhi, the President of Indian National Congress party...
, where he stayed 1964-1966. It was later allotted to the Congress (I) party, though a part of it became biographical museum, Lal Bhadur Shastri Memorial at 1, Moti Lal Nehru Place (formerly 10 Janpath), adjacent to the complex. The current resident of 10 Janpath is Congress President, Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi is an Italian-born Indian politician and the President of the Indian National Congress, one of the major political parties of India. She is the widow of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi...
.
After the assassination of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
at her 1, Safdarjung Road
Safdarjung Road
Safdarjung Road is a main road, in New Delhi, India, named after 18th century Safdarjung's Tomb near it. At the north end, the road stretches from the junction of Teen Murti Marg, Akbar Road, Rajaji Marg and Racecourse Road, which is a roundabout...
residence garden while going towards neighbouring 1, Akbar Road office for an interview on October 30, 1984, it was converted into the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum.
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
her son and successor as PM, along with his family, became the first occupant of 7, Race Course Road in 1984. The subsequent Prime Minister V. P. Singh
V. P. Singh
Vishwanath Pratap Singh was the seventh Prime Minister of India and the 41st Raja Bahadur of Manda.-Early life:...
made it into a permanent residence of the Prime Minister.
Today the word "7 Race Course Road", as become synonymous with the Prime Minister of India, in political parlance, especially when used in conjunction with its power tussle with 10 Janpath
10 Janpath
10 Janpath is a house on Janpath road, New Delhi. It is presently the official residence of Sonia Gandhi, the President of Indian National Congress party...
. In November 2010, Prime minister, Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
hosted a private dinner for visiting US president Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and the American first lady at 7, Race Course Road.
Occupants
- Manmohan Singh: July 2004 – Present
- A.B. Vajpayee: March 19, 1998 - July 4, 2004
- IK Gujral: April 21, 1997 - March 19, 1998
- HD Deve Gowda: June 1, 1996 - April 21, 1997
- AB Vajpayee: May 16, 1996 - June 1, 1996
- P V Narasimha Rao: June 21, 1991- May 16, 1996
- Chandrashekhar: November 10, 1990 - June 21, 1991
- VP Singh: December 2, 1989 - November 10, 1990
- Rajiv Gandhi: October 31, 1984 - December 2, 1989
The House
The 12 acres Prime Minister's residence was built in the 1980s. It does not have his office inside the house, but has a conference room for informal meetings. PM's residence-cum-office and security spread across five bungalowBungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
s 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, including 5, Race Course Road, the Private Residential Zone for the Prime Minister, though he operates from 7, Race Course Road. Bungalow 9 is occupied by Special Protection Group
Special Protection Group
The Special Protection Group is the executive protection agency of the Government of India. It is responsible for the protection of the Prime Minister of India, other top officials, and their immediate families. The force was established in 1985 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. It is one...
(SPG), while Bungalow 3 has been converted into a guesthouse for PM's guests.
Over the years its security has gradually been beefed up, a bulletproof glasstube passage was built in 2003, connecting 3, Race Course Road, at the Prime Minister’s residence to Panchvati or 7 Race Course, where the PM meets people and delegations and holds official meetings. Also a concrete wall was added on the periphery, separating the house from the main road, to render any truck bomb or a car bomb attack ineffective. With S Venugopalachari, a TDP
Telugu Desam Party
Telugu Desam Party or TDP is a regional political party in India's Andhra Pradesh state. It was founded by former Telugu film star N. T...
MP, vacating 1, Race Course Road, on government’s requests and the Special Protection Group (SPG) taken over the bungalow, the entire road with bungalows number 1, 3. 5, 7 and 9 came under PM’s offices. However PM residence is surrounded by various high rise building and public structures, from Samrat Hotel, Ashoka Hotel and state guesthouses on the one side to the Delhi Gymkhana
Delhi Gymkhana
The Delhi Gymkhana Club or Delhi Gymkhana is a premier Gymkhana in New Delhi, the capital of India...
Club (DCG), and Delhi Race Course which lies across the road, thus plans for a Helipad within the complex was muted for several years for the reason. In fact by 2004, the Intelligence Bureau
Intelligence Bureau
Intelligence Bureau was the main internal intelligence agency of British India. It can also refer to:* Intelligence Bureau , the domestic intelligence organization of India...
(IB) took over most the rooms of Samrat Hotel overlooking the PM's residence and watchtowers were erected inside Delhi Gymkhana and it can be accessed only via Safdarjung Road entry.
In 2004, the road was refurbished at a cost of Rs 1 crore to make it the permanent residence of the Indian Prime Minister.