Rajendra Prasad (3 December 1884 – 28 February 1963) was an Indian politician, lawyer, journalist and scholar who served as the first president of India from 1950 to 1962.

A supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, Prasad was imprisoned by British authorities during the Salt Satyagraha of 1930 and the Quit India movement of 1942.

As president, Prasad established a tradition for non-partisanship and independence for the office-bearer and retired from Congress party politics.

Although a ceremonial head of state, Prasad encouraged the development of education in India and advised government on several occasions.

Prasad was born on 3 December 1884 in a Kayastha family in Ziradei, Bengal Presidency, British India (now in Siwan district, Bihar.

[10] It was due to his sense of duty towards his family and education that he refused to join Servants of India Society, as it was during that time when his mother had died as well as his sister became a widow at the age of nineteen and had to return to her parents' home.

In 1909, while pursuing his law studies in Kolkata he also worked as Professor of Economics at Calcutta City College.

[14] He was so greatly moved by the dedication, courage and conviction of Mahatma Gandhi that as soon as the motion of Non-Cooperation was passed by Indian National Congress in 1920, he retired from his lucrative career of lawyer as well as his duties in the university to aid the movement.

He also responded to the call by Gandhi to boycott Western educational establishments by asking his son, Mrityunjaya Prasad, to drop out of his studies and enrol himself in Bihar Vidyapeeth, an institution he along with his colleagues founded on the traditional Indian model.

[16] He was released two days later and set up Bihar Central Relief Committee on 17 January 1934 and took on the task of raising funds to help the affected people.

[18] On 8 August 1942, Congress passed the Quit India Resolution in Bombay which led to the arrest of many Indian leaders.

[19] After the formation of Interim Government of 12 nominated ministers under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru on 2 September 1946, he was allocated the Food and Agriculture department.

As the President of India, Prasad duly acted as required by the Constitution and was independent of any political party.

The Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan were open to public for about a month for the first time during his tenure, and since then it has been a big attraction for people in Delhi and many other parts of the country.

[22] Prasad acted independently of political parties, following the expected role of the president as required by the constitution.

After relinquishing the office of the President of India in May 1962, he returned to Patna on 14 May 1962 and stayed on the campus of Bihar Vidyapeeth.