Pratibha Patil | |
---|---|
12th President of India | |
In office 25 July 2007 –25 July 2012 | |
Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
Vice President | Mohammad Hamid Ansari |
Preceded by | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
Succeeded by | Pranab Mukherjee |
17th Governor of Rajasthan | |
In office 8 November 2004 –23 June 2007 | |
Chief Minister | Vasundhara Raje |
Preceded by | Madan Lal Khurana |
Succeeded by | Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai |
Member of Parliament,Lok Sabha | |
In office 21 June 1991 –16 May 1996 | |
Preceded by | Sudam Deshmukh |
Succeeded by | Anantrao Gudhe |
Constituency | Amravati,Maharashtra |
9th Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha | |
In office 18 November 1986 –5 November 1988 | |
Chairman | Ramaswamy Venkataraman (1986–1987) Shankar Dayal Sharma (1987–1988) |
Preceded by | M. M. Jacob |
Succeeded by | Najma Heptulla |
Member of Parliament,Rajya Sabha | |
In office 1985–1990 | |
Constituency | Maharashtra |
Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly | |
In office 1962–1985 | |
Constituency | Edlabad |
In office 1962–1967 | |
Constituency | Jalgaon |
Personal details | |
Born | Pratibha Narayan Rao Patil 19 December 1934 Nadgaon,Bombay Presidency,British India (present–day Maharashtra,India) |
Political party | Indian National Congress |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Residence | 57, Congress Nagar, Amravati |
Alma mater | |
Website | pratibhapatil |
Pratibha Devisingh Patil (born 19 December 1934), also known as Pratibha Patil Shekhawat, [1] [2] is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the 12th president of India from 2007 to 2012. She was the first woman to become the president of India. A member of the Indian National Congress, she also served as the Governor of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2007, and was a member of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996.
Patil was born in a Marathi family [3] [4] on 19 December 1934 in the village of Nadgaon in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. She was the daughter of Narayan Rao Patil. [5] She was educated initially at R. R. Vidyalaya town and subsequently was awarded a master's degree in Political Science and Economics by Mooljee Jetha College, Jalgaon (then under Poona University), and then a Bachelor of Law degree by Government Law College, Bombay, affiliated to the University of Bombay (now University of Mumbai). Patil then began to practice law at the Jalgaon District Court, while also taking interest in social issues such as improving the conditions faced by Indian women. [6]
Patil married Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat on 7 July 1965. The couple has a daughter, Jyoti Rathore and a son, Raosaheb Shekhawat, who is also a politician. [5] [7]
In 1962, at the age of 27, she was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the Jalgaon constituency. [8] After that she won in the Muktainagar (formerly Edlabad) constituency on four consecutive occasions between 1967 and 1985, before becoming a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha between 1985 and 1990. In the 1991 elections for the 10th Lok Sabha, she was elected as a Member of Parliament representing the Amravati constituency. [6] A period of retirement from politics followed later in the decade. [9]
Patil had held various Cabinet portfolios during her period in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and held official positions in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. In addition, she had been the president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee for a few years. Also, she held office as Director of the National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies and as a Member of the Governing Council of the National Co-operative Union of India. [5]
On 8 November 2004 she was appointed the 17th Governor of Rajasthan, [10] the first woman to hold that office. [11]
Patil was announced as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate on 14 June 2007. She emerged as a compromise candidate after the left-wing parties of the alliance would not agree to the nomination of former Home Minister Shivraj Patil or Karan Singh. [11] Patil had been loyal to the INC and the Nehru–Gandhi family for decades and this was considered to be a significant factor in her selection by INC leader Sonia Gandhi, although Patil said that she had no intention of being a "rubber-stamp president". [9] [12]
In the same month that she was selected as a member of the UPA, Patil was accused of shielding her brother, G. N. Patil, in the 2005 Vishram Patil murder case. Vishram Patil had narrowly defeated G. N. Patil in an election to be the President of the District Congress Committee of Jalgaon and in September of that year had been murdered. Vishram Patil's widow eventually accused G. N. Patil of involvement in the crime and claimed that Pratibha Patil had influenced the criminal investigation and that the issue needed to be examined before presidential immunity became active. [13] Her accusations were rejected by the courts in 2009 [14] but in 2015 G. N. Patil was charged. No reference to the alleged involvement of Pratibha Patil was made at this time. [15]
Due to the presidential role being largely a figurehead position, the selection of the candidate is often arranged by consensus among the various political parties and the candidate runs unopposed. [16] Contrary to the normal pattern of events, Patil faced a challenge in the election. The BBC described the situation as "the latest casualty of the country's increasingly partisan politics and [it] highlights what is widely seen as an acute crisis of leadership". It "degenerated into unseemly mudslinging between the ruling party and the opposition". [17] Her challenger was Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the incumbent vice-president and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran. Shekhawat stood as an independent candidate and was supported by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a group led by the BJP, [18] although the Shiv Sena party, which was a part of NDA, supported her because of her Marathi origin. [19]
Those opposed to Patil becoming president claimed that she lacked charisma, experience, and ability. They also highlighted her time spent away from high-level politics and queried her belief in the supernatural, such as her claim to have received a message from Dada Lekhraj, a dead guru. [9] [17] [20] Various specific issues were raised, such as a comment made by her in 1975 that those suffering from hereditary diseases should be sterilised. [9] Another alleged that while a Member of Parliament for Amravati she diverted Rs 3.6 million from her MPLADS fund to a trust run by her husband. This was in violation of Government rules which barred MPs from providing funds to organisations run by their relatives. [21] The parliamentary affairs minister denied any wrongdoing on Patil's part and noted that the funds are used under MPLADS, by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. [22]
Patil won the election held on 19 July 2007. She garnered nearly two-thirds of the votes [23] and, on 25 July 2007, took oath as India's 12th President, the first woman to hold the position. [24] [25]
Patil's term as the President of India saw various controversies and is widely considered as lackluster. [26] She commuted death sentences of 35 petitioners to life, a record. President's Office, however, defended this by saying that President had granted clemency to the petitioners after due consideration and examining the advice of the Home Ministry. [27] [28]
Patil was noted for having spent more money on foreign trips, and having taken a greater number of foreign trips, than any previous president. [29] Sometimes accompanied by as many as 11 members of her family, there had been 12 foreign trips spanning 22 countries by May 2012, when she was away on her 13th trip. Those completed travels had cost Rs 205 crore (Rs 2.05 billion). The Ministry of External Affairs said that taking family members "was not abnormal". [30]
The Office of President has a five-year term [17] and Patil retired from the role in July 2012. [31]
Patil allegedly used public funds to build a retirement mansion on a 260,000 square feet (24,000 m2) plot of military land in Pune. Tradition is that a retiring president either takes residence in Government accommodation in Delhi or moves back to their residence in their home state; her use of government money to build a retirement home at the end of the presidential term was unprecedented. [32] Other controversies that arose after her retirement included her desire to claim both an official government car and fuel allowance for the running of a private car, despite rules clearly stipulating that this was an either/or situation. She also took possession of many gifts that had been given to her in her official role and was later forced to return them. [33]
Patil set up Vidya Bharati Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, an educational institute which runs a chain of schools and colleges in Amravati, Jalgaon, Pune and Mumbai. She also set up Shram Sadhana Trust, which runs hostels for working women in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune; and an engineering college for rural students in Jalgaon district. [34] She also co-founded a cooperative sugar factory known as Sant Muktabai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana at Muktainagar. [35]
In addition, Patil founded a cooperative bank, Pratibha Mahila Sahakari Bank, that ceased trading in February 2003 when its licence was cancelled by the Reserve Bank of India. Among other failings, the bank had given illegal loans to her relatives that exceeded the bank's share capital. It had also given a loan to her sugar mill which was never repaid. The bank waived these loans, and this drove it into liquidation. The government liquidator of the bank, P. D. Nigam, said, "The fact that relatives of the founder chairperson (Pratibha Patil) were among those indiscriminately granted loans and that some illegal loan waivers were done has come up in our audit." Six of the top ten defaulters in the bank were linked to her relatives. The INC claimed that Patil had not been involved with the bank since 1994 but The Indian Express reported that it had official documents showing her involvement as late as 2002. [36] [37]
Pratibha Patil has held various official offices during her career. These are: [5]
Period | Position |
---|---|
1967–72 | Deputy Minister, Public Health, Prohibition, Tourism, Housing & Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Maharashtra |
1972–79 | Cabinet Minister, Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra |
1974–75 | Cabinet Minister, Public Health & Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra |
1975–76 | Cabinet Minister, Prohibition, Rehabilitation and Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra |
1977–78 | Cabinet Minister, Education, Government of Maharashtra |
1979–1980 | Leader of the Opposition, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly |
1982–85 | Cabinet Minister, Urban Development and Housing, Government of Maharashtra |
1983–85 | Cabinet Minister, Civil Supplies and Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra |
1986–1988 | Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha |
1986–88 | Chairman, Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha; Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha |
1991–1996 | Chairman, House Committee, Lok Sabha |
8 November 2004 – 23 June 2007 | Governor of Rajasthan |
25 July 2007 – 25 July 2012 | President of India |
Ribbon | Decoration | Country | Date | Note | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Order of the Aztec Eagle | Mexico | 3 August 2018 | Sash of Special Category, the highest civilian honour of Mexico. | [38] [39] |
Jalgaon is a city in Maharashtra, India. The city is located in North Maharashtra in the subregion of Khandesh, and serves as the administrative headquarters of its namesake district, the Jalgaon district. Situated on Asian Highway 53 and 76.3 Km from 'Ajanta Caves'.
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was an Indian politician who served as the 11th vice president of India. He served in that position from August 2002, when he was elected to a five-year term by the electoral college following the death of Krishan Kant, until he resigned on 21 July 2007, after losing the presidential election to Pratibha Patil. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He served as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan three times, from 1977 to 1980, 1990 to 1992 and 1993 to 1998. He represented several constituencies in Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha from 1952 to 2002. He was also awarded Padma Bhushan in the year 2003.
Shekhawat is a clan of Rajputs found mainly in Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. Shekhawats are descendants of Maharao Shekha of Amarsar. The Shekhawat Rajputs trace their lineage to Shekha Rao, a prominent Rajput chieftain from the 15th century. Shekha Rao was a descendant of Rao Kalyan Singh, who belonged to the Kachwaha Rajput clan. Rao Shekha established his own principality in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, which includes parts of present-day Jhunjhunu, Sikar, and Churu districts. His leadership helped consolidate Rajput power in this region. Over time, the Shekhawat Rajputs expanded their territories and established several forts and palaces. The Shekhawat Rajputs established their dominance in the Shekhawati region in the 15th century, specifically starting around the time of Shekha Rao's rise to prominence in the early 1400s. They played a significant role in regional politics and were known for their martial prowess and resistance against Mughal expansion. Their rule continued until the mid-20th century when the princely states were integrated into the Indian Union. Thus, the Shekhawat Rajputs governed the Shekhawati region for approximately 500 years, from the early 15th century until the 1940s and 1950s, when princely states were absorbed into independent India. Shekhawat is a very common surname in the Indian defence forces.
Muktainagar is a town in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, India. It is the administrative headquarter of its eponymous taluka. It is located in North Maharashtra region.
Akhlaq Ur Rehman Kidwai was an Indian chemist and politician. He served as Governor of the states of Bihar, West Bengal and Haryana. Also, he worked as Governor of the state of Rajasthan. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, from 1999 to 2004. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award.
The 10th Lok Sabha, elected during 1991 Indian general election held during May–June 1991. The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India, four sitting members from Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Indian Parliament, were elected to 10th Lok Sabha after the Indian general election, 1991.
The Election Commission of India held indirect 13th presidential elections of India on 19 July 2007. Pratibha Patil with 638,116 votes won over her nearest rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who got 331,306 votes. This result meant that Pratibha Patil became the first female President of India.
Pratibha Mahila Sahakari Bank was a cooperative bank based in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India. It was founded in 1973 by Pratibha Patil, who later became President of India, with the objective of empowering women.
Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat was an Indian agriculturist and politician who served as the first gentleman of India as the husband of President Pratibha Patil. He also served as the first gentleman of Rajasthan and also as mayor of Amravati. He was a member of the Indian National Congress.
Sant Muktabai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana known as Sant Muktabai Cooperative Sugar Factory is a cooperative factory founded in 1988 by Pratibha Patil and others. The factory is situated at Muktainagar in Jalgaon district in Maharashtra. It was inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi on 23 January 1999, and Patil remained chairperson until 1996.
The Vishram Patil murder case gained national attention in India when the widow of the murder victim accused Pratibha Patil, the presidential nominee of the United Progressive Alliance, of shielding her brother, G. N. Patil, in relation to it.
Sunil Panjabrao Deshmukh is the Member of Legislative Assembly from the constituency of Amravati, Maharashtra, India. He is a member of Indian National Congress (INC). He is a former Minister of State for Finance and Planning, Public Works and Energy in Government of Maharashtra and was also the guardian minister for Amravati and Bhandara districts of Vidarbha, Maharashtra from 2004–2009. He has also served as the ex-officio Vice-Chairman of the Maharashtra State Electricity Board's holding company and was the co-chairman of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd.
Anu Aga is an Indian billionaire businesswoman and social worker who led Thermax, an energy and environment engineering business, as its chairperson from 1996 to 2004. She was among the eight richest Indian women, and in 2007 was part of 40 richest Indians by net worth according to Forbes magazine. She was awarded with the Mumbai Women of the Decade Achievers Award by ALL Ladies League, the all ladies wing of ASSOCHAM.
Moolji Jetha College, also spelt as "Moolji Jaitha College" (MJC), is a college in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. It was established in 1945 and is one of the oldest Colleges in the northern Maharashtra region.
Dr. Gopalrao Bajirao Deshmukh alias Abasaheb Khedkar, also known as Abasaheb Khedkar was a social activist and a farmer's leader in India. He was the Minister of Rural Development in the first cabinet ministry of Maharashtra and the first President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.
Jalgaon Airport is a domestic airport serving the city of Jalgaon in Maharashtra, India. It is located in Kusumbe, off National Highway 753F (NH-753F), 9 km (5.6 mi) southeast of the city centre, and 47 km (29 mi) away from the Ajanta Caves, for which it is its closest airport. The airport has a flight training institute run by Skynex Aviation. After resumption of operations in April 2024 with Fly91 and Alliance Air from June 2024, the airport became one of the fastest growing airports in Maharashtra, with direct connectivity to the major cities of Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Goa and Ahmedabad. As of June 2024, it is the fifth-busiest airport in the state by private and commercial aircraft movements.
The 2007 Indian vice presidential election was held on 10 August 2007 to elect the vice president of India to serve from 2007 until 2012. Mohammad Hamid Ansari from Indian National Congress was elected for the post. The incumbent, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat did not seek reelection and instead ran for President in 2007 election, where he lost to Pratibha Patil. He subsequently resigned from VP post days before Patil's inauguration.
Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, also known as Raosaheb Shekhawat, is a politician in the Indian state of Maharashtra. He is a former Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Amravati constituency of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
First Lady of India or First Gentleman of India is the title given to the host of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually the spouse of the president of India. There are no official roles or duties assigned to the spouse. The spouse generally attends official ceremonies and functions.
Presidency of Pratibha Patil was started on 25 July 2007 when she took the oath as the twelfth and the first woman president of India.