Who is India's First Woman President?

Pratibha Devisingh Patil occupies a special position in the annals of Indian history as the 12th President of India, holding office from July 25, 2007, to July 25, 2012. More importantly, she is revered as the first woman to occupy this hallowed office, a milestone accomplishment that broke gender barriers in Indian politics. Having spent many years in the Indian National Congress (INC), her nomination as a candidate for the President by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Indian Left was a peak in her eventful career.

Early Life and Education

Pratibha Patil was born on December 19, 1934, in Nadgaon, which lies in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra state. Her heritage is deeply set in the state. She has her early studies at RR Vidyalaya in Jalgaon. She then studied further, achieving a Master's in Political Science and Economics from Mooljee Jetha College, Jalgaon. She went on to complete a law degree from Government Law College, Mumbai, laying the groundwork for her to join the field of law and politics.

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Before becoming thoroughly involved in politics, Pratibha Patil worked as a lawyer in the Jalgaon District Court. She was also keenly interested in social causes, specifically in ameliorating the conditions and situation of women in India. This interest in social welfare would become a defining aspect of her professional life.

Family and Social Initiatives

Pratibha Patil is married to Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat, and they have a son and a daughter together. Apart from her immediate family, Patil and her husband founded the 'Vidya Bharti Shikshan Prasarak Mandal,' an educational organization that runs a chain of schools and colleges in Jalgaon and Mumbai. Her passion for education did not stop there as she established a trust that operates hostels for working women in big cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune.

Her charitable activities involve the setting up of an Engineering College and an Industrial Training School for the visually impaired in Jalgaon, and a school to serve the poor Vimukta Jamati and Nomadic Tribes children.

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Political Career

Pratibha Patil's political career began at the age of 27, and from 1962 onwards, she won every election she stood for, indicating her sustained popularity and political acumen. She was a Member of the Maharashtra Assembly from 1962 to 1985, and during this time, she had different ministerial portfolios. These were Education, Urban Development and Housing, Tourism, Public Health, Social Welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, and Cultural Affairs. Her ability resulted in her elevation from Deputy Minister to Cabinet rank by different Chief Ministers.

In 1967, Pratibha Patil was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Education for the first time. She was elected again and again to the Assembly, either from the Jalgaon or Edlabad Constituency. She was elected to the Rajya Sabha as a Congress party candidate in 1985. In 1988, she was made the MPCC Chief and served as such for two years. In 1991, she was voted into the Lok Sabha and held the position of Member of Parliament from the Amaravati Lok Sabha constituency for five years until 1996. On 8 November 2004, she was chosen as the 24th Governor of Rajasthan, the first female to hold that position until 2007.

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Presidency

In 2007, Pratibha Patil contested the presidential election and won by a resounding margin, defeating her rival by over three lakh votes. She was sworn in as President on July 25, 2007, making history as the first woman President of India. She served as President until July 25, 2012, and was replaced by Pranab Mukherjee. Her term as President is still an icon of women's empowerment and progress in India.