President of India
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List of Presidents of India
The Main Gate of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of India.[1] Although the president is vested such powers by the constitution of India, the position is largely a ceremonial role and the executive powers are de facto exercised by the Cabinet Ministers and Prime Minister.[2] The post of President is known in Hindi asRashtrapati, a Sanskrit neologism meaning "lord of the realm". The President is elected by an electoral college composed of elected members of the parliament houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and also members of the Vidhan Sabha, the state legislative assemblies.[1]
There have been 13 Presidents of India since the introduction of the post in 1950. The post was established when India was declared as a republic with the adoption of the Indian constitution.[3] Apart from these twelve, three acting presidents have also been in office for short periods of time. Varahagiri Venkata Giri became Acting President of India in 1969 following the death of Zakir Hussain, who died in office. Giri was elected President a few months later. He remains the only person to have held office both as a president and acting president. The President may remain in office for a tenure of five years, as stated by article 56, part V, of the constitution of India. In the case where a president 's term of office is terminated early or during the absence of the president, the vice president assumes office. By article 70 of part V, the parliament may decide how to discharge the functions of the president where this is not possible, or in any other unexpected contingency.[1] Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, is the only person to have held office for two terms.[4]
Seven presidents have been members of a political party
List of Presidents of India
The Main Gate of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India. The President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of India.[1] Although the president is vested such powers by the constitution of India, the position is largely a ceremonial role and the executive powers are de facto exercised by the Cabinet Ministers and Prime Minister.[2] The post of President is known in Hindi asRashtrapati, a Sanskrit neologism meaning "lord of the realm". The President is elected by an electoral college composed of elected members of the parliament houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and also members of the Vidhan Sabha, the state legislative assemblies.[1]
There have been 13 Presidents of India since the introduction of the post in 1950. The post was established when India was declared as a republic with the adoption of the Indian constitution.[3] Apart from these twelve, three acting presidents have also been in office for short periods of time. Varahagiri Venkata Giri became Acting President of India in 1969 following the death of Zakir Hussain, who died in office. Giri was elected President a few months later. He remains the only person to have held office both as a president and acting president. The President may remain in office for a tenure of five years, as stated by article 56, part V, of the constitution of India. In the case where a president 's term of office is terminated early or during the absence of the president, the vice president assumes office. By article 70 of part V, the parliament may decide how to discharge the functions of the president where this is not possible, or in any other unexpected contingency.[1] Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, is the only person to have held office for two terms.[4]
Seven presidents have been members of a political party
References: 2 | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888–1975) | | 13 May 1962 | 13 May 1967 | Zakir Hussain | 1962 election page (1897–1969) | | 13 May 1967 | 3 May 1969 | Varahagiri Venkata Giri | 1967 election page Hussain was vice chancellor of theAligarh Muslim University and a recipient of Padma Vibhushan andBharat Ratna.[13] He died before his term of office was ended. | | Varahagiri Venkata Giri * (1894–1980) | | 3 May 1969 | 20 July 1969 | | Giri was appointed as Acting President of India following the death of Hussain.[14] He resigned in a few months to take part in the presidential elections.[5] | 4 | Varahagiri Venkata Giri (1894–1980) | | 24 August 1969 | 24 August 1974 | Gopal Swarup Pathak | 1969 election page (1905–1977) | | 24 August 1974 | 11 February 1977 | Basappa Danappa Jatti | 1974 election page Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed served as a Minister before being elected as president | Basappa Danappa Jatti * (1912–2002) | | 11 February 1977 | 25 July 1977 | | Jatti was the vice president of India during Ahmed 's term of office, and was sworn in as Acting President of Indiaupon Ahmed 's death 6 | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (1913–1996) | | 25 July 1977 | 25 July 1982 | Muhammad Hidayatullah | 1977 election page (1916–1994) | | 25 July 1982 | 25 July 1987 | Ramaswamy Venkataraman | 1982 election page In March 1972, Singh assumed the position of chief Minister of Punjab, and in 1980, he became Union Home Minister.[20] | 8 | Ramaswamy Venkataraman (1910–2009) | | 25 July 1987 | 25 July 1992 | Shankar Dayal Sharma | 1987 election page (1918–1999) | | 25 July 1992 | 25 July 1997 | Kocheril Raman Narayanan | 1992 election page Sharma was Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, and the Indian Minister for Communications 10 | Kocheril Raman Narayanan (1920–2005) | | 25 July 1997 | 25 July 2002 | Krishan Kant | 1997 election page