Pratibha Patil, India president

Pratibha Patil,  born December 19, 1934, in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India, Indian lawyer and politician who was the first woman to serve as president of India 2007 to date.

Her longtime association with the Gandhi family made her a favourite of Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi, and Patil’s name was brought forward as a candidate for the largely ceremonial role of president in 2007. Patil’s status as a relative unknown worked to her advantage, and she took office on July 25, 2007.