Zail Singh
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| Date of Birth: | 5 May 1916 |
| Date of Death: | 25 December 1994 |
| President of India | |
| Tenure Order: | 7th President |
| Took Office: | 25 July 1982 |
| Left Office: | 25 July 1987 |
| Predecessor: | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy |
| Successor: | Ramaswamy Venkataraman |
Giani Zail Singh (Punjabi: ਜ਼ੈਲ ਸਿੰਘ, May 5, 1916 - December 25, 1994) was the President of India (1982-1987), and the first Sikh to hold India's highest public office and honour.
Zail Singh's public life was long and varied - freedom fighter, state Congress leader, Chief Minister and Union Home Minister. A remarkable fighter against princedom, feudalism and foreign domination in the pre-independence days, he is also remembered for his crusade against communalism, economic disparities and social injustice in the republic.
[edit] President of India
Giani Zail Singh Ramgarhia was elected to the highest office of the President of India on July 15, 1982 and took the oath of office on July 25, 1982. He was critiqued for his subservient attitude to the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. He was on state that "he will even sweep floors for Indira Gandhi, who eventually created a rubber-stamp President, a complete symbolic head. When Zail Singh was the President, Indira Gandhi launched Operation Blue Star to attack the highest sacred shrine of Sikhs and flush-out the terrorists.
His relations with Rajiv Gandhi who became Prime Minister after the death of his mother Indira Gandhi were rocky at best. However Zail Singh declined to embarras Rajiv Gandhi government by seeking re-election as President of India with support of non-Congress parties. He was cremated in the vicinity of the Raj Ghat.
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| Preceded by Neelam Sanjiva Reddy |
President of India July 25, 1982-July 25, 1987 |
Succeeded by R. Venkataraman |
