According to the Constitution, the President of India serves as the ceremonial head of state and the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. However, executive powers are primarily exercised by the Prime Minister. The President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of Parliament and state legislatures and serves a five-year term, according to Article 56, Part V of the Constitution. In the President’s absence, the Vice President takes office, and Parliament decides on an alternative arrangement, according to Article 70, Part V.
There have been 15 presidents since India became a republic in 1950, with three acting presidents temporarily serving in the role. Varahagiri Venkata Giri is notable for serving as both acting president and elected president. Rajendra Prasad is the only president to have served two terms. Seven presidents have had political party affiliations, primarily the Indian National Congress. Two presidents, Zakir Husain and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, died in office, with their vice-presidents serving as acting presidents until new elections. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, elected in 2007, was the first woman president, and Draupadi Murmu, who was sworn in on July 25, 2022, became the second woman and the first tribal person to hold the position.
There have been 15 presidents since India became a republic in 1950, with three acting presidents temporarily serving in the role. Varahagiri Venkata Giri is notable for serving as both acting president and elected president. Rajendra Prasad is the only president to have served two terms. Seven presidents have had political party affiliations, primarily the Indian National Congress. Two presidents, Zakir Husain and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, died in office, with their vice-presidents serving as acting presidents until new elections. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, elected in 2007, was the first woman president, and Draupadi Murmu, who was sworn in on July 25, 2022, became the second woman and the first tribal person to hold the position.
President of India from 1950 to 2024
This list is ordered numerically according to the presidents elected after successful Indian presidential elections. The tenures of Varahagiri Venkata Giri, M. Hidayatullah and B.D. Jatti, who served as Acting Presidents, are not included in the counted terms. The President of India does not represent any political party.
All Indian Presidents: Interesting Facts
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad holds the record for being the longest-serving President of India, having served two terms.
- Zakir Husain, the third President of India, had the shortest tenure as he died while in office.
- In addition to the full-time presidents listed in the table above, three individuals served as interim presidents: Varahagiri Venkata Giri, Mohammed Hidayatullah, and Basappa Danappa Jatti.
- Neelam Sanjiva Reddy not only became the youngest President of India but before that he was also the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
- Pratibha Patil created history by becoming the first and only woman President of India.
- According to Article 61 of the Indian Constitution, if the President of India wishes to resign, he must submit a handwritten letter to the Vice President.
- The President of India is elected by the members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States and Union Territories.
