Well-wishers throng Pratibha Patil's residence

NEW DELHI: A day before she takes oath as president, Pratibha Patil was busy Tuesday meeting visitors, mostly from Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and posing for photographs with them at her residence here.

"It was a busy day for her as visitors have been coming from morning to greet her. Her family members would be reaching here soon to be present at the oath taking ceremony tomorrow," one of her staff members told.

Till she left for a farewell banquet at Rastrapati Bhavan hosted by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who demits office on Wednesday, Patil was busy meeting visitors, exchanging pleasantries with each of them and enquiring about their welfare.

"The visitors were mostly from Rajasthan and Maharasthra," said her staff. The ancestors of Patil's husband Devisingh Shekhawat are from Rajasthan while she is from Maharashtra.

She accepted the bouquets brought by her visitors and distributed the sweets that some brought along, a staff member said.