The President of India is the head of state and head of government, whose role in the Indian constitutional system is similar to that of a governor in other constitutions. The Constitution names 48 people who are considered “eminent persons” without special legal powers, but these are not necessarily senior politicians with national experience. In practice, most Presidents have been statesmen or former Prime Ministers with deep political experience who act as titular heads for the nation during their tenures. If you are giving government exams, you can get a list of the President of India pdf. This blog focuses on a few famous Presidents of India.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (17 May 1962 – 13 May 1967)
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (17 May 1962 – 13 May 1967) was the first Vice President of India and the second President of India. He was a professor of philosophy at Oxford University, where he taught Indian philosophy and comparative religion as well as Western philosophy. He also wrote many books on various subjects, including Buddhism and Vedanta.
Zakir Hussain (13 May 1967 – 3 May 1969)
Zakir Hussain was a prominent Muslim leader who served as the third President of India from 13 May 1967 to 3 May 1969. He was also known as “The Architect”. He was born in Srinagar (now Jammu) in 1934 and educated at Aligarh Muslim University, where he obtained his doctorate in 1964. In the 1960s, he served as a professor at Jamia Millia Islamia University until 1973, when he became its vice chancellor for two years until 1977, when he became its chancellor until 1980, when he retired from academia altogether after being elected President by Parliament on 23 February 1980.
Mohammed Hidayatullah (20 July 1969 – 24 August 1969)
Mohammed Hidayatullah was the acting President of India from 20 July 1969 to 24 August 1969. He was also a member of the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India. He served as vice president of India from 1978 to 1979 during the Emergency period.
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (24 August 1974 – 11 February 1977)
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was the fourth President of India from 1974 to 1977. He was a member of the Indian National Congress and served as its President from 1947 to 1969. He became the first Muslim President of India when he took office after being elected by an electoral college consisting mainly of members from his organisation, who their respective states had chosen. After serving as Prime Minister for two years (1975–77), Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed resigned as head of state for health reasons, making way for R Venkataraman (1977-78).
Basappa Danappa Jatti (11 February 1977 – 25 July 1977)
Basappa Danappa Jatti was an Indian politician and the first President of India from Karnataka. He was a member of the Indian National Congress and served as the Chief Minister of Mysore State from 1952 to 1956. He was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka, on 11 February 1907 to Jacob Basappa and Saramma, who hailed from the Kolar district in Karnataka state. His father worked at a cotton mill owned by his wife’s family until he retired at age 65 when his son entered politics.
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (25 July 1977 – 25 July 1982)
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was the seventh President of India. He was born on 9 November 1905 in the small village of Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh and died on 24 March 1986 after serving as the President for two terms from 25 July 1977 to 25 July 1982. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was a political leader who represented Indian National Congress during his tenure as an MP from Rayalaseema region and then as MLA from Anantapur district for several terms until his death in 1986 at 82 years old when he became the first Dalit President elected by popular vote (in contrast with Privy Purse).
Ramaswamy Venkataraman (25 July 1987 – 25 July 1992)
Ramaswamy Venkataraman was the sixth President of India from 25 July 1987 to 25 July 1992. He was a lawyer who had served as a judge of the Madras High Court before becoming the Chief Minister of Madras state in 1977. He was also known for his contribution to Telugu cinema and literature.
Pratibha Patil (25 July 2007- 25 July 2012)
Pratibha Patil was the first woman to be elected as President of India. She served from 25 July 2007 until 25 July 2012, making her one of the longest-serving Presidents in history. She is a former Rajya Sabha member and served as Governor of Rajasthan from 2005 to 2007. She was also the first woman to serve as Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha (22nd Lok Sabha) and a member of the Standing Committee on Social Justice & Empowerment between 2004-2006 during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister.
Conclusion
If you wish to learn more about the Indian Presidents, you can look for a list of the President of India pdf.
The highest post of the President of India is filled by a chosen candidate, who the President must appoint. The President can appoint vice presidents and counsellors to assist him in running the administration. The current president is Droupadi Murmu, who was sworn in on 25 July 2022 after being elected by both houses of Parliament.
