Pratibha Patil becomes the first woman president of the Republic of India
{{date|July 21, 2007}}
[[Image:Pratibha Patil.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The President-elect when she was still the Governor of Rajasthan.{{Image source|Jaisingh Rathore.}}]]
[[w:Pratibha Patil|Pratibha Patil]] has won the [[w:Indian presidential election, 2007|12th Presidential Elections]] of the [[India|Republic of India]], becoming the first woman [[w:President of India|president]] of the second most populous country in the world.

Patil, 72, previously governor of the state of [[w:Rajasthan|Rajasthan]], had support from the [[w:United Progressive Alliance|governing coalition]]. She won approximately two thirds of the vote, almost double the number of votes of her nearest rival [[w:Bhairon Singh Shekhawat|Bhairon Singh Shekhawat]], who resigned as [[w:Vice-President of India|Vice-President]] after losing the poll.

Patil was a last-minute candidate who appeared when the coalition that leads the congress and the communist allies could not choose a common candidate. The supporters of Patil hope that her election could bring to the spotlight, problems that affect women in India, such as the high murder rate or domestic violence and abuse.

More than 4,500 members of the [[w:Parliament of India|Parliament of India]] and state [[w:Vidhan Sabha|Legislative Assemblies]] were eligible to vote for the largely ceremonial office.

Patil was recently the centre of controversy after allegations that a bank gave out cheap loans to her relatives, and for her controversial statements about the Muslim veil.

The President-elect will succeed the 11th President of India, [[w:Abdul Kalam|Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam]], an engineer and scientist. She is expected to be sworn in on July 25 in the Central Hall of Parliament.

The President of India, also called Rashtrapati, is the [[w:head of state|head of state]] and first citizen of India and the [[w:Commander-in-Chief|Supreme Commander]] of the Indian [[W:Military of India|armed forces]]. The President's role is largely ceremonial. The powers of the President of India are comparable to those of the [[w:British monarchy|monarch]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. The real executive authority in India is vested in the [[w:Indian Cabinet Ministers|Council of Ministers]], headed by the [[w:Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]. In 1966, [[w:Indira Gandhi|Indira Gandhi]] became the first and to date the only female prime minister of India.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6909979.stm
 |title=India elects a female president
 |author=
 |pub=BBC News Online
 |date=July 21, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/21/india.elections.reut/index.html
 |title=India elects first woman president
 |author=
 |pub=CNN
 |date=July 21, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070019778&ch=7/21/2007%208:02:00%20PM
|title=Shekhawat resigns as Vice President
|author=Press Trust of India
|pub=NDTV.com
|date=July 21, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200707212101.htm
|title=Pratibha Patil elected first woman President
|author=
|pub=The Hindu
|date=July 21, 2007}}

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[[Category:India]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[es:India elige por primera vez en su historia a una mujer como presidenta]]
[[fr:Inde : une femme élue pour la première fois à la présidence]]
[[pl:Pratibha Patil wygrała wybory prezydenckie w Indiach]]
The President-elect when she was still the Governor of Rajasthan.
Pratibha Patil has won the 12th Presidential Elections of the Republic of India, becoming the first woman president of the second most populous country in the world.

Patil, 72, previously governor of the state of Rajasthan, had support from the governing coalition. She won approximately two thirds of the vote, almost double the number of votes of her nearest rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who resigned as Vice-President after losing the poll.

Patil was a last-minute candidate who appeared when the coalition that leads the congress and the communist allies could not choose a common candidate. The supporters of Patil hope that her election could bring to the spotlight, problems that affect women in India, such as the high murder rate or domestic violence and abuse.

More than 4,500 members of the Parliament of India and state Legislative Assemblies were eligible to vote for the largely ceremonial office.

Patil was recently the centre of controversy after allegations that a bank gave out cheap loans to her relatives, and for her controversial statements about the Muslim veil.

The President-elect will succeed the 11th President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, an engineer and scientist. She is expected to be sworn in on July 25 in the Central Hall of Parliament.

The President of India, also called Rashtrapati, is the head of state and first citizen of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces. The President's role is largely ceremonial. The powers of the President of India are comparable to those of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The real executive authority in India is vested in the Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. In 1966, Indira Gandhi became the first and to date the only female prime minister of India.

es:India elige por primera vez en su historia a una mujer como presidenta
fr:Inde : une femme élue pour la première fois à la présidence
India Asia Politics and conflicts