It’s a saree issue for Pratibha

NEW DELHI: Except for some new additions to her wardrobe, that too purely voluntary, nothing much would change if a woman moves into the Rashtrapati Bhavan as the next President.

“It is much easier for us to accept a lady President than the Americans,” said a military officer, drawing parallels between Pratibha Patil's chances and that of Hillary Clinton.

As far as he can see, Pratibha Patil, who is sure of her victory, may have one problem: her sarees. 

As the President, Patil would be the Commander in Chief of the almost 1.5 million strong Indian armed forces. Regular visits to the military installations, parades, and ceremonials are part and parcel of a President's life.

"So if she wants to jump onto a tank or climb into a fighter, or spend a day out at sea with the Navy, as the past Presidents have been doing, then she may have to think of adding salwar kameezs or trousers to her wardrobe," said the veteran protocol officer with a straight face.

During a President's tenure, the Indian Navy holds at least one fleet review for the Commander in Chief, who would have to survey all from a wind-swept deck of the ship.

Saree isn't advisable for such an occasion. President APJ Abdul Kalam has taken a ride in a submarine and flown a Sukhoi-30 fighter - two feats that would prove to be more than tricky for one draped in a saree.

Moreover, Patil's immediate predecessor has also been to the Siachen glacier, a place where a saree couldn't possibly protect one from the freezing cold.

"If the defence minister, who for all his political life wore dhoti and kurta, can switch to bandgala and trousers, why not the new President," asked an Army officer involved in protocols, referring to the sartorial transformation of AK Antony.

Rashtrapati Bhavan officials too do not feel that a woman becoming President will trigger any drastic change. "She would be living with her family here. And we would treat her the way we have served all the Presidents before her," said a veteran residing at the imposing structure atop Raisina Hill.

Rashtrapati Bhavan officials do not believe that their protocol notes would have any specific details about what to do in case of a woman's appointment. "It isn't necessary," said one of the officials. For them 'President' and 'Rashtrapati' are both gender-neutral. "She will be Her Excellency in our English conversations,” he said.