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Shyam Saran Negi Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 15, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1 July 1917

Age105 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceKalpa, Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh

ProfessionRetired school teacher

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidower

SpouseHira Mani (died 2014)

FamilyFour sons (including Chander Prakash) and five daughters; father Narayan Das

Shyam Saran Negi Biography

Shyam Saran Negi (1 July 1917 – 5 November 2022) was an Indian retired schoolteacher from Kalpa in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, celebrated as the first voter

Early life and background

Shyam Saran Negi was born on 1 July 1917 in Kalpa, a village in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. He began formal schooling relatively late, enrolling at age ten. He attended a local school in Kalpa through the fifth standard, then continued his studies in Rampur. The journey to Rampur from his home was arduous; when he enrolled there he walked approximately 70 miles, a trip that took him three days. By the time he reached tenth standard he was around 20 years old and was not granted admission because he was overage. His formal education concluded at ninth standard.

Career

Negi worked with the Forest Department as a forest guard from 1940 to 1946. He later joined the Education Department and served as a teacher at Kalpa Lower Middle School. He spent 23 years in the education department before retiring in 1975 from the position of Junior Basic Teacher.

Public profile

Negi became known nationally for a single distinction: he was the first person to cast a vote in independent India’s first general elections. The polling in Kinnaur was brought forward to 25 October 1951 because of expected severe winter conditions, while the rest of the country voted in February 1952. Negi, then 33 years old, requested permission to vote in his hometown despite being posted elsewhere as a government teacher; officials granted his request, and he cast what is recognized as the first vote in independent India’s parliamentary elections.

For much of his life he continued to exercise his franchise in nearly every election available to him—Lok Sabha, state assembly, and Panchayat polls. His role as a living link to the country’s first election drew renewed attention in 2007 when the Election Commission identified him and confirmed his place in electoral history. In 2010 the Chief Election Commissioner visited his village to honor him during the Commission’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The Election Commission later named him a brand ambassador for its Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaign.

Negi also appeared in public outreach and media. In 2014 Google India produced a video in which he spoke about taking part in the first election and encouraged people to vote. He had a small role in the 2016 film Sanam Re. In Himachal Pradesh’s 2017 assembly election he was publicly welcomed at his local polling station; arrangements were made to transport him to and from home and a red carpet was laid out to honor him as he went to vote.

Personal life

Negi lived in Kanang Saring in Kalpa, a high-altitude area known locally for apples, at nearly 10,000 feet above sea level. He was a widower; his wife Hira Mani died in 2014 at age 78. He had multiple children: four sons, including a youngest son named Chander Prakash, and five daughters. His eldest son predeceased him in 2002. Negi practiced Hinduism and belonged to the Pahari Rajput community. He was a vegetarian and enjoyed listening to the radio. His eye colour was described as black and his hair was white in later years.

Later years and death

Negi remained engaged with elections into his final years. During the 2022 Himachal Pradesh assembly election he cast a ballot shortly before his death; due to ill health he used a postal ballot for the first time rather than visiting a polling booth. He died on 5 November 2022 in Kalpa at the age of 105. Reports attributed his death to age-related ailments. Following his passing he was cremated with full state honours.

Controversies and public matters

In 2019 Negi raised a complaint with district officials after a local political worker used his name and image in a partisan way; he clarified that he did not use social media and had authorized only the Himachal Pradesh government and the Election Commission to use his pictures or name for official purposes.

Legacy

Negi is remembered as a symbol of electoral participation in independent India. His story was used by election authorities and media to promote voting, and he continued to serve as an example of civic duty until his death at 105.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Shyam Saran Negi, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Sanam Re (film)

Featured appearance in the 2016 film

2016
Google India video

Featured in a 2014 video reminding viewers of the importance of voting

2014
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Career Highlights

  1. Recognised as the first person to cast a vote in independent India’s general elections (25 October 1951 in Kinnaur)
  2. Served as a teacher at Kalpa Lower Middle School and retired as a Junior Basic Teacher in 1975 after 23 years of service
  3. Appointed brand ambassador by the Election Commission for the SVEEP campaign
  4. Honoured by the Chief Election Commissioner during the Election Commission’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2010
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Shyam Saran Negi born?

Shyam Saran Negi was born on 1 July 1917.

What is Shyam Saran Negi known for?

Shyam Saran Negi is known for retired school teacher.

What is Shyam Saran Negi’s marital status?

Shyam Saran Negi's marital status is listed as Widower.

Who is Shyam Saran Negi married to?

Shyam Saran Negi is publicly listed as married to Hira Mani (died 2014).