Pratibha Patil

Guide Note

Indian National Congress (INC) member Pratibha Patil is the 12th President of India and the first woman to hold the office. A trained lawyer and former Governor of Rahasthan, Patil was elected as President in 2007, defeating her nearest rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat by over 300,000 votes.

Fast Facts

1. Born: December 19, 1934 in Nadgaon, Maharashtra, India
2. Party: Indian National Congress (INC)
3. Assumed office: July 27, 2007
4. Spouse: Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat
5. Previous Position/Office: Governor of Rajasthan
6. Preceded by: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Patil began her political career in 1962. She became the deputy minister of education under her mentor Yashwantrao Chavan in 1967. In 1977, she protested the arrest of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and spent 10 days in prison as a result. She served much of the 1990s as a representative in the lower house of India's parliament, and in 2004, was elected Governor of Rajasthan.