| Name | Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil |
| Profession | Politician, Social Worker, practiced as Advocate at Jalgaon |
| Date of Birth | 13 December 1934 |
| Birth Place | Nadgaon, Maharashtra |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Political affiliation | Congress(I) |
| Education | * R.R. School at Jalgaon * M.A. from Mooljee Jaitha (M.J.) College, Jalgaon * law degree from the Government Law College, Mumbai |
| Mentor | S.B. Chavan |
| Family | * Father: Narayan Paglu Rao * Husband: Dr Devisingh Ramsingh Shekhawat * Son: Rajendra Singh * Daughter: Jyoti Rathore * Grandchildren: 4 grandsons; 4 granddaughters |
| Marriage date | * Married Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat on July 7, 1965. |
| As a President | * First woman president of India * 13th president of India * Got 65.82% of votes in the presidential election * Does not want to be a ‘rubber stamp’ President * Described herself as the Republic’s first servant |
| Favourite food | * Vegetarian * Loves Utthapam and Dal but avoids spinach and potatoes. |
| Friend | Usha Bhowmik |
| Political facts | * Began her political career in 1962 at the age of 27.
* Has handled the portfolios of tourism, social welfare and housing under several chief ministers, Vasantdada Patil, Babasaheb Bhosle, S. B. Chavan and Sharad Pawar. * Was continually re-elected to the assembly, either from Jalgaon or the nearby Edlabad constituencies, until 1985, when she was elected to the Rajya Sabha as a Congress candidate. * a staunch supporter of Nehru-Gandhi family * She protested the arrest of Indira Gandhi in December 1977 and spent 10 days in prison. * In 1980, the Congress (I) swept back into power, and her name was considered a front-runner for the Chief Minister’s post. However, the post went to Sanjay Gandhi’s confidant A. R. Antulay, who was soon forced to resign on corruption charges. * Following differences between Patil and then Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Prabha Rau, Rajiv Gandhi appointed her as MPCC chief (1988-90). * She has also served as Director of National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks & Credit Societies and the Member of Governing Council, National Co-operative, Union of India. * In November 2004, eight years after she had completed her term in the 10th Lok Sabha, Pratibha Patil was recalled from political hibernation to become the first woman Governor of Rajasthan. * She was the second politician from Maharashtra in this post, the first being Vasantdada Patil. * With Pratibha Patil as Governor, Rajasthan had women in three significant positions of power in the state, including Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and Assembly Speaker Sumitra Singh * On 14th June, United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the ruling alliance of political parties in India headed by Congress (I), and the Indian left nominated her as their candidate for the Presidential Election to be held on 19 July 2007. * As a result of the potential that she would become the first female President of India, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi described her nomination as a “historic occasion” in India’s 60th year of independence. * India Today labeled her as an embarassing choice * As a Governor of Rajasthan she opposed the Rajasthan government’s controversial anti-conversion bill. |
| College days | * she excelled in table tennis, winning various inter-college tournaments. * In 1962, Pratibha Patil was voted “College Queen” of M.J. College. |
| Countries visited | Austria, Bulgaria, Kenya,UK and Puerto Rico |
| Social and Cultural activities | * Welfare of Women – established a Hostel for working women in Mumbai and Delhi. * Engineering College at Jalgaon for the benefit of the rural youth. * Managing Trustee, Shram Sadhana Trust.* Chief Promoter and Chairperson of a Sugar Factory in Jalgaon District, Maharashtra. * Established Mahila Vikas Mahamandal, a Government owned Corporation * Industrial Training School for Blind in Jalgaon and Managing a School for poor children of Vimukta Jamatis & Nomadic Tribes. * Establishment of Mahila Cooperative Bank at Jalgaon, Maharashtra * While she was a Minister in the Govt of Maharashtra, she established Govt owned Corporation Mahila Vikas Mahamandal. |
| Positions held | * 1962-85: Member, Maharasthra Legislative Assembly* 1967-72: Deputy Minister, Public Health, Prohibition, Tourism, Housing and Parliamentary Affairs, Govt. of Maharasthra
* 1972-74: Cabinet Minister, Social Welfare, Govt. of Maharashtra * 1974-75: Cabinet Minister, Public Health and Social Welfare, Maharasthra * 1975-76: Cabinet Minister, Prohibition, Rehabilitation and Cultural Affairs, Govt of Maharashtra * 1977-78: Cabinet Minister, Education, Govt of Maharashtra * July 1979 to February1980: Leader of Opposition, CLP(I), Govt of Maharashtra * 1982-85: Cabinet Minister, Urban Development and Housing, Govt of Maharashtra * 1983-85: Cabinet Minister, Civil Supplies and Social Welfare, Govt of Maharashtra * June, 1985-90: Elected to Rajya Sabha * 18 November 1986 to 5 November1988: Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha * 1986-88: Chairman, Committee on Privileges, Rajya Sabha Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha * 1991: Elected to 10th Lok Sabha Chairperson, House Committee, Lok Sabha * 2004-07: Governor of Rajasthan * July 25, 2007 – President of India Other Positions: * Member of Governing Council, National Cooperative Union of India. |
| On Purdah | “Women have always been respected in the Indian culture. The purdah system was introduced to protect them from the Muslim invaders. However, times have changed. India is now independent and hence, the systems should also change. Now that women are progressing in every field, we should morally support and encourage them by leaving such practices behind”.
For this she was severely criticized by Islamic theologians connected with the Muslim Personal Law Board |
| Sterilization | * On 10 December 1975, when she was the Health Minister of Maharashtra, Pratibha Patil advocated in Maharashtra Assembly that people with hereditary diseases should be compulsorily sterilised. |
| Controversies | * Allegations of shielding her brother on a burder charge.
* Pratibha Women Cooperative Bank scam * Sant Muktabai Cooperative Sugar Factory scam * Polytechnic scam * MPLADS scam |
| Addresses | Present Address Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi, India Permanent addresses * 1701, Vainganga, |
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