20 Facts About Pratibha Patil

Pratibha Patil was the first woman to become the president of India.

Pratibha Patil then began to practice law at the Jalgaon District Court, while taking interest in social issues such as improving the conditions faced by Indian women.

Pratibha Patil had held various Cabinet portfolios during her period in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and held official positions in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

Pratibha Patil was announced as the United Progressive Alliance candidate on 14 June 2007.

Pratibha Patil emerged as a compromise candidate after the left-wing parties of the alliance would not agree to the nomination of former Home Minister Shivraj Patil or Karan Singh.

Patil of involvement in the crime and claimed that Pratibha Patil had influenced the criminal investigation and that the issue needed to be examined before presidential immunity became active.

Contrary to the normal pattern of events, Pratibha Patil faced a challenge in the election.

Pratibha Patil's challenger was Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the incumbent vice-president and a Bharatiya Janata Party veteran.

Those opposed to Pratibha Patil becoming president claimed that she lacked charisma, experience, and ability.

Pratibha Patil garnered nearly two-thirds of the votes and, on 25 July 2007, took oath as India's 12th President, the first woman to hold the position.

Pratibha Patil commuted death sentences of 35 petitioners to life, a record.

Pratibha Patil was noted for having spent more money on foreign trips, and having taken a greater number of foreign trips, than any previous president.

The Office of President has a five-year term and Pratibha Patil retired from the role in July 2012.

Pratibha Patil allegedly used public funds to build a retirement mansion on a 260,000 square feet plot of military land in Pune.

Pratibha Patil took possession of many gifts that had been given to her in her official role and was later forced to return them.

Pratibha Patil set up Vidya Bharati Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, an educational institute which runs a chain of schools and colleges in Amravati, Jalgaon, Pune and Mumbai.

Pratibha Patil set up Shram Sadhana Trust, which runs hostels for working women in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune; and an engineering college for rural students in Jalgaon district.

Pratibha Patil co-founded a cooperative sugar factory known as Sant Muktabai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana at Muktainagar.

The INC claimed that Pratibha Patil had not been involved with the bank since 1994 but The Indian Express reported that it had official documents showing her involvement as late as 2002.

Pratibha Patil has held various official offices during her career.