First Ladies and Gentlemen of India
| First Lady and Gentleman of India | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Residence | Rashtrapati Bhavan |
| Inaugural holder | Rajvanshi Devi |
| Formation | January 26, 1950 |
The First Lady or First Gentleman of India is the unofficial title and position traditionally held by the wife or husband of the President of India during that person's term of office. There are no official roles or duties assigned to the spouse but he or she generally attends the official ceremonies and functions held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan along with the President.
The position of First Lady of India is currently held by Savita Kovind, wife of President Ram Nath Kovind. She assumed the position after her husband took the oath of office to the post of president on 25th July 2017.
Rajvanshi Devi, wife of India's first president, was the country's first First Lady from 1950 until 1962. Devi kept a very low profile during this era and did not attend public events with President Rajendra Prasad.
Saraswati Bai, wife of the country's fourth president, V. V. Giri, was the first First Lady to take a more public role. Bai's role marked a change from the lower profile of her predecessors. She attended and hosted public events and became a recognizable figure to the Indian public. Her successor, Begum Abida Ahmed, India's first lady from 1974 to 1977, further expanded the public role of the First Lady's position by organizing ceremonies and official functions at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Before Pratibha Patil was sworn in as the first female President of India, the role of the wives of the President were to act as the chief hostess of the Bhavan. In 2007, the office room meant for the First Lady went for some minor changes to accommodate the husband of Pratibha Patil, Devisingh Shekhawat, the country's inaugural "First Gentleman".
Former First Lady Suvra Mukherjee, the wife of President Pranab Mukherjee, died in office on 18 August 2015. The position of First Lady remained vacant for the remainder of President Mukherjee's term.
The role should not be confused with the spouse of the Prime Minister of India.
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Wikipedia