First President of India, Know His Name

India, known for its world’s largest democracy, boasts a history adorned with visionary leaders who played crucial roles in steering the national toward its coveted objectives of freedom and prosperity. leading this historical odyssey was Dr. Rajendra Prasad, first President of India. His remarkable life, significant contributions and steadfast commitment to the nation remain a lasting source of inspiration for future generations.

Who is President of India?

The President of India is the head of the state and the ceremonial head of the country of the Indian Government, acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. The president is the head of the state but does not exercise executive powers. All the executive decisions are taken in the name of President of India. All the MoU signed with any foreign country are on the name of the President of India.

First President of India: Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Personal Details:

• Birth date: 3^rd December 1884
• Birth place: Ziradei, Bengal Presidency, British India
• Death: 28^th February 1963 at Patna, Bihar, India

Early Life of Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was born on 3 December 1884, in Ziradei, Bengal Presidency, British India. He pursued his education with great determination, eventually earning degrees in law and economics. He joined the Indian National Congress, where he played a pivotal role in India’s struggle for Independence, becoming a prominent advocate of non-violent resistance and civil disobedience.

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Dr. Rajendra Prasad as First President of India

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, assumed office of President of India on 26^th January 1950. He was a great leader who played a significant role in India’s fight for freedom from British rule. He served the nation as President of India for consecutive 12 years from 1950- 1962. As President, he worked to bring people together and build a strong and united country. He showed honestly, humility and dedication in serving the nation, leaving a lasting example of leadership and integrity. His time as President set a strong foundation for India’s democracy and progress.

Awards presented to 1^st President of India: Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad received several awards and honors for his contributions to the nation and society. These are as follows:

• Bharat Ratna in 1962
• Padma Vibhushan in 1957
• Doctorate of Law
• Nishan-e-Pakistan

Institutions named after First President of India: Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Some of the main institutions named after Dr. Rajendra Prasad are as follows:

• Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University
• Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences
• Rajendra Prasad Institute of Communication and Management
• Rajendra Prasad College

List of Former President of India (1950-2023)

The current President of India is Droupadi Murmu, serving the office from 21^st July 2022. The list of former President of India from 1950-2024:

S. No.	Name	Tenure
1.	Dr. Rajendra Prasad	26 January 1950- 13 May 1962
2.	Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan	13 May 1962- 13 May 1967
3.	Dr. Zakir Hussain	13 May 1967- 3 May 1969
4.	Varahagiri Venkata Giri	3 May 1969- 20 July 1969
5.	Mohammad Hidayatullah	20 July 1969- 24 August 1969
6.	Varahagiri Venkata Giri	24 August 1969- 24 August 1974
7.	Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed	24 August 1974- 11 February 1977
8.	Basappa Danappa Jatti	11 February 1977- 25 July  1977
9.	Neelam Sanjiva Reddy	25 July 1977- 25 July 1982
10.	Giani Zail Singh	25 July 1982- 25 July 1987
11.	Ramaswamy Venkataraman	25 July 1987- 25 July 1992
12.	Shankar Dayal Sharma	25 July 1992- 25 July 1997
13.	Kocheril Raman Narayan	25 July 1997- 25 July 2002
14.	Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam	25 July 2002- 25 July 2007
15.	Pratibha Patil	25 July 2007- 25 July 2012
16.	Pranab Mukherjee	25 July 2012- 25 July 2017
17.	Shri Ram Nath Kovind	25 July 2017- 21 July 2022
18.	Droupadi Murmu	21 July 2022- present

Powers and Functions of President of India

Here are the powers and functions of the President of India

Executive Powers:

• Establishes rules for official documents and administration (Article 77).
• Appoints the Prime Minister, ministers, Attorney General, and key officials (Article 75).
• Requests information from the Prime Minister and initiates investigations (Article 78).
• Appoints administrators for Union Territories and declares scheduled or tribal areas (Article 239, 244).

Judicial Powers:

• Appoints Chief Justice and judges of Supreme and High Courts.
• Consults Supreme Court for advice (Article 143).
• Grants clemency, including pardons, reprieves, and commutations (Article 72).

Legislative Powers:

• Summons, prorogues, and dissolves the Lok Sabha; presides over joint sittings (Article 87, 86, 93).
• Nominates 12 Rajya Sabha members and decides on disqualifications (Article 80, 103).
• Provides prior recommendation for introducing money bills and promulgates ordinances (Article 117, 123).

Financial Powers:

• Recommends introduction of money bills and annual financial statement (Article 110).
• Approves demands for grants and advances from the contingency fund (Article 113, 267).
• Constitutes Finance Commission for revenue distribution (Article 280).

Diplomatic Powers:

• Negotiates international treaties subject to Parliament approval (Article 253).
• Represents India in international forums and manages diplomatic relations.

Military Powers:

• Serves as supreme commander of defense forces and appoints military chiefs (Article 53(2)).
• Can declare war or conclude peace with Parliament approval.

Emergency Powers:

• Declares National Emergency (Article 352).
• Imposes President’s Rule (Article 356 & 365).
• Declares Financial Emergency (Article 360).

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