(P)RESIDING OVER RAISINA

The first woman president of India looks back at her time in the Rashtrapati Bhavan

- PRATIBHA PATIL

The election of a new president of India will be held soon, and there has been a lot of curiosity about who will take charge next. The election of the president-the first citizen and head of the state-should be held with all dignity, as the president represents the whole nation and not any political party or group.

As a republic, India cannot have a hereditary king or queen. So, there is an elected president to lead the executive power in India. The expectation from the president is to perform the primary duty of preserving, protecting and defending the Constitution and the law of India, as made part of the oath of office. The powers and responsibilities that have been vested in the president may be classified as legislative powers, executive powers, military powers, diplomatic powers, judicial powers, financial powers and emergency powers.

SORTIE AND SORTING

When it comes to military powers, the president is the commander-in-chief of the Indian armed forces. When I was president, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major was the chief of air staff. He was about to complete his term and he came to see me. He suggested that I fly in the Sukhoi-30 MKI to boost the morale of airmen. I agreed. He told me that I needed to be physically fit. For the next three months, a medical team came to check my vitals and monitored me periodically. Then when I got an all-clear, I went to Pune and flew in the Sukhoi. After the flight, media-persons asked me if I was scared. I told them that if these young boys were unafraid and ready to sacrifice their lives for the country, why should I be scared in this old age? That day, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev called to congratulate me. I also visited the forward areas to see for myself the conditions in which the jawans work and live.