Date of Birth : Dec 19, 1934
Place of Birth : Nadgaon, Maharashtra
Took Office : Jul 25, 2007
Nationality : Indian
Religion : Hindu
Political affiliation : Congress(I)
Education : R.R. School at Jalgaon, M.A. from Mooljee Jaitha (M.J.) College, Jalgaon,law degree from the Government Law College, Mumbai
Mentor : S.B. Chavan

Pratibha Patil was born to Narayan Paglu Rao on 19th December 1934 at Nadgaon, Maharashtra. She studied at R.R. School at Jalgaon. She received her M.A. from Mooljee Jaitha (M.J.) College, Jalgaon and obtained a law degree from the Government Law College, Mumbai and practised as an advocate in Jalgaon. Coming from a humble family, her father was a public prosecutor. From social work, she joined the cogress and was elected to the Maharashtra Assembly in 1962 for the first time. Three years later, she married Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat, a maratha of Rajasthani origin. From 1972 to 1978, Patil was a cabinet minister in Maharashtra. She was the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly in 1979. She was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1985. From 1986 to 1988, she held the post of deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. As a member of parliament, she represented Amravati in the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996. She later became the 24th Governor of Rajasthan and, notably, was also the first female governor of this state. And now, she has become the first female President of India on July 25, 2007 and also she is the first maharashtrian to hold this post. She is the proud mother of a son and daughter.