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List of Presidents of India

After years of prolonged cruel British dominion, in 1947, India was eventually free from the clutches. 1947 was also the year when our country was independent. A very steady and advantageous process of "tryst with destiny" was initiated. The world's biggest constitution was framed, and a constituent assembly was introduced after the independence.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was chosen as the first President of Independent and United India, the earliest constitutional head of the state.

India possessed 15 full-time presidents until now, following 1950. The country was administered by the substitute president thrice. Recently, the 15th president Smt. Droupadi Murmu has been administering her regime (since 21 July 2022).

Eligibility Criteria to Become the Indian President

President is chosen by the procedure of the corresponding presentation with the method of a single transferable poll and can be abolished by the method of allegation, impeachment, or citations.

The following are the qualifications for the designation of the Indian President:

  1. The individual should be an Indian native.
  2. The individual must have attained a minimum age of 35 years.
  3. The individual must pass the conditions to be selected as a member of the Lok Sabha.
  4. The individual should not possess any central government or state government job or any public officials.

List of Presidents of India

Here, we are providing you with the list of all presidents of India with their duration of serving and a brief description of them:

Number of President Name of President Duration of Serving Brief description of the president
1st Dr. Rajendra Prasad 1950-62 Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first Indian president. He held this designation of president two times consecutively. In addition to this, he was also the main leader of the "Indian Independence Movement" and head of the constituent assembly at that time. In 1962, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was also honored with one of the highest civilian honors in India, i.e., Bharat Ratna.
2nd Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 1962-67 Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the 2nd President of Independent India, was honored with the Bharat Ratna in 1954. In addition to this, his birthday is celebrated as Teacher's Day, i.e., 5 September every year.
3rd Dr. Zakir Hussain 1967-69 Dr. Zakin Hussain was the first Muslim Indian president and passed away during his working tenure. Vice president at that time, V.V. Giri, possessed the post and worked as an acting president. Later, a Judge of the Supreme Court, Mohammad Hidayatullah, became the substitute president from 20 July 1969 to 24 August 1969 and was honored with Padma Bhushan in the art discipline by the Indian Government in 2002. He took the Indian education system in a greater way.
4th V.V. Giri 3rd May 1969-19th July 1969 The full name of V.V. Giri is Varahagiri Venkata Giri. He was the only one who got chosen president as an autonomous nominee. In 1975, V.V. Giri was honored with Bharat Ratna.
5th Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed 1974-77 After Mr. Zakir Hussain, Fakhruddin became the secondary Indian president who was demised during his working tenure. After his demise, B.D. Jetta worked as an acting president.
6th Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy 1977-82 Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was the foremost chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and was straightly chosen for the designation from Lok Sabha speaker and turned out to be the youngest president who heads over the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Also, he was nominated twice for the position of Indian president.
7th Giani Zail Singh 1982-1987 Before becoming the 7th president of India, Giani Zail Singh also held the chief minister position of Punjab state. During his working tenure, various proceedings happened, like the blue operation star, the murder of Indira Gandhi, and the anti-Sikh protest in 1984.
8th R. Venkataraman 1987-1992 Before holding the position of president of India, R. Venkataraman was also the vice president of India (Duration: 1984-1987). He was awarded several titles worldwide. He was honored with "Tamra- Patra" for his cooperation during the freedom fight in India.
9th Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma 1992-1997 Before holding the position of president, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was the vice president of India. He was also the chief minister of Bhopal (statehood level at that time) from 1952 to 1956. He received the "Living legend of law awards of recognition " from the International Bar Association because of his certain attainments in the law specialty.
10th K.R. Narayan 1997-2002 Shri K.R. Narayan, famously known as the first Dalit President of India, was also the 9th Vice-president of India before his presidency.
11th Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam 2002-2007 Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, also known as the "Missile Man of India," was the first scientist to become an Indian president and the foremost president who hit victory by the highest polls. Under his management, Rohini-1 satellite, Agni, and Prithvi missiles were successfully launched. He played an essential, authoritative, and scientific part in the Pokhran- ll nuclear experiment carried on in India. He was such a legendary personality honored with Bharat Ratna in 1997.
12th Shrimati Pratibha Patil 2007-2012 Before becoming the president of India, she served as a Governor of Rajasthan. Also, she is the first woman president in the world who got the honor to fly Sukhoi.
13th Pranab Mukherjee 2012-2017 Prior to becoming the president, Pranab Mukherjee held the designation of finance minister. Pranab Mukherjee also received the best parliamentary award in the year 1997 and Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honor in India, in 2008. He tested covid-19 positive and was in a coma after brain surgery, and unfortunately died on 31 August 2020.
14th Ram Nath Kovind 2017-2022 Shri Ram Nath Kovind served as the 26th governor of Bihar and also as a member of the Parliament of India (Rajya Sabha) in the duration of 1994-2006, prior to his presidency. Lawyer and politician Shri Ram Nath Kovind presided over India as its fourteenth president. He was well-known for his dedication to social justice and equality when he took office in 2017. During his tenure, he has emphasized the need for innovation and has worked to promote the development of India's agricultural and rural sectors.
15th Droupadi Murmu 2022-Incumbent The Republic of India's current president, Smt. Droupadi Murmu was chosen on July 21, 2022. After Shri Ram Nath Kovind, she is India's fifteenth president. Murmu joined the BJP in 1997 and was appointed to the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat council. Murmu was chosen to serve as the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat's head in 2000. She was also the national vice president of the BJP Scheduled Tribes Morcha. Murmu was Jharkhand's first female governor.

Functions and Duties of the Indian President

The ceremonial head of state of India, the President, is crucial to the nation's administration. The President is entrusted with a variety of powers and responsibilities, including:

  1. Choosing the Prime Minister and the Ministerial Council
  2. Approving legislation enacted by the Parliament
  3. Summoning and adjourning legislative sessions
  4. Addressing the Parliament's two houses
  5. Selecting Supreme Court and High Court justices
  6. Issuing pardons, reprieves, and sentence reductions
  7. Declaring a state of emergency when there is a danger to stability or national security
  8. In addition to serving as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, the President of India is crucial to the defence and security of the nation.

Conclusion

The diversity and depth of India's democracy are reflected in the list of presidents of India. Each President has made a unique contribution to the nation's expansion and development and has had a significant impact on the political, social, and economic climate of the nation. Every President, from Rajendra Prasad to Ram Nath Kovind, has contributed their own skills and life experiences to the office and strived to defend the principles of democracy, freedom, and equality.

The Indian President is a very honourable and accountable office. As the Constitution's defender and the people's representative, the President is obligated to act in the country's best interests. In order to advance social fairness, economic prosperity, and national unity, the President must work closely with the executive branch and other stakeholders.

The process of electing the president of India is intricate and complicated, reflecting the variety of the nation's political structure. The Electoral College makes sure that the President is chosen in a transparent and democratic manner and that all social groups have a voice in the process.

The List of Presidents of India is a tribute to the dynamic democracy and extensive history of the nation. Each President put their stamp on the country and made a unique contribution to its growth and development. The President's position will remain crucial in advancing the ideals of democracy, equality, and progress and in making sure that India continues to be a bright example of unity in diversity as the country develops and changes.







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