Pratibha Devisingh Patil is the current and 13th Indian President and the first woman to hold this position. The Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan swore her in as the President of India on 25th July 2007. She succeeded Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Pratibha Patil is a member of the Indian National Congress and was nominated for the Presidency by the ruling United Progressive Alliance and Indian Left.

Early Life of Pratibha Devisingh Patil
Pratibha Devisingh Patil was born on 19th December, 1934 in Nandgaon, Maharastra. She completed her studies from R.R. School at Jalgaon. Patil completed her Master`s degree in Political Science and Economics from the Mooljee Jaitha (M.J.) College, Jalgaon (affiliated to North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon). She also received a Law Degree from the Government Law College, Mumbai (affiliated to University of Mumbai). She was an excellent Table Tennis player and during her college days Pratibha Patil represented and won various inter college tournaments.

Pratibha Devisingh Patil began her professional career as a Lawyer, practicing in the Jalgaon District Court and also actively worked on numerous social activities, particularly, for the improvement of deprived women.

Political Career of Pratibha Devisingh Patil
Pratibha Devisingh Patil became involved in politics from 1962 at the age of 27 when she was elected for the Jalgaon Assembly constituency in February. Under the guidance of veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister, she became the deputy minister for education after re-election in 1967 in the Vasantrao Naik ministry. In the next tenure from 1972 to 1978, Pratibha Patil was the Cabinet Minister for the state. Under several Congress Chief Ministers, Vasantdada Patil, Babasaheb Bhosle, S. B. Chavan and Sharad Pawar, Patil handled the portfolios of tourism, social welfare and housing. She was re-elected to the Assembly every time, either from Jalgaon or the nearby Edlabad constituencies. In 1985, Pratibha Devisingh Patil was elected to the Rajya Sabha as a Congress candidate. She was elected for 4 consecutive times for Muktainagar in Maharashtra, as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly between 1962 and 1985.

Pratibha Patil served as the Deputy Chairwoman in the Rajya Sabha from November 1986 to November 1988. In 1990 when Patil`s term expired, she contested the 10th Lok Sabha elections from the Amravati constituency. She has also served as Director of National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies and the Member of Governing Council, National Co-operative, Union of India.

In November 2004, Pratibha Devisingh Patil was appointed as the 24th Governor of Rajasthan when Vasundhara Raje was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. She was the second politician from Maharashtra in this post, the first being Vasantdada Patil. Pratibha Patil resigned as the Governor of Rajasthan on 21st June 2007, due to her Presidential nomination. On 14 June 2007, United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the ruling alliance of political parties in India headed by the Indian National Congress, and the Indian left nominated her as their candidate for the Presidential Election. After defeating her nearest rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat by over 300,000 votes, Patil became the Indian President on 19th July 2007. She took office as India`s first woman president on 25 July 2007.

Pratibha Devisingh Patil is married to Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat and the couple has a son and a daughter.

Position Held by Pratibha Devisingh Patil:
* 1967-72 Deputy Minister, N.H.E.A., Scav, Public Health, Prohibition, Tourism, Housing & Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
* 1972-74 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 July 1979 to February
* 1980 Leader of Opposition, CDP (I), 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
* 18 November 1986 to 5 November 1988 Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha
* 1986-88 Chairperson, Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha; Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha
* 1991-96 Chairperson, House Committee, Lok Sabha
* 8 November 2004-June 2007 Governor of Rajasthan
* 25 July 2007 till date President of India