Next President of India: Nandan Nilekani or Irom Sharmila? List of 20 probables

At a time when everyone is coming up with a new name as India’s next President, OneIndia brings together 20 men and women, who all have the qualities to be the country’s most powerful person.

We know, finally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will decide the name of the next President of India. The term of the current President, Pranab Mukherjee, is ending in July. Thus frantic political activity has already began to choose the next President of the country. While the Congress is trying its best to bring all opposition parties together under one platform and get a consensus candidate, the Bharatiya Janata Party looks pretty confident to have its own man/woman crowned as the next President.

In the wake of the landslide victory of the BJP and its allies in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Assembly elections, the ruling National Democratic Alliance is just short of 25,000 votes in its electoral college for the presidency. This is not a big gap, and political analysts feel that if the BJP and its partners could woo the Biju Janata Dal and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the next President would be easily PM Modi's man/woman.

As the rumour mill has been in overdrive to select the next President, OneIndia decided to bring together a list of brilliant, smart and popular personalities from various walks of life, who we think possess all the qualities to be India's President.

Below is our list, do share your thoughts...

Nandan Nilekani

With Aadhaar card being made compulsory for everything, why not get the man behind giving every Indian citizen a unique number as the next President. Moreover, at a time when India is eyeing to control the global technology sphere, Nilekani is the perfect technocrat-entrepreneur to fulfil country's ‘giant' dreams.

Mahavir Singh Phogat

The former Indian wrestler and senior Olympic coach is also the father and uncle of the famous Phogat sisters. His is a story of inspiration and the movie Dangal was based on his life. PM Modi has often spoken about the push India must make in the sports sector. In this context, Phogat would be an ideal candidate.

Kapil Dev

He showed the nation, "yes we can." He is one of those great cricketers who put India on the world map. The first World Cup victory of India in England was under the captaincy of Dev. A much-loved and respected person, this cricket crazy nation could have him as the next President.

MS Swaminathan

By now, he has won almost all the prestigious awards. He is known as the father of the Green Revolution. An Indian geneticist and international administrator, renowned for his leading role in India's Green Revolution, he could be a good choice for President considering the big agricultural push the PM has been making. However, he is 91 years old.

Arun Shourie

A section of the media has been complaining that journalism is no longer fearless and free. Although he has fallen out of favour with the government, he is a legendary journalist, economist, author and politician. He would be a good choice in order to bring about some sense in a section of the media.

Raghuram Rajan

The former RBI governor, he would be an ideal candidate. For PM Modi, the economic boom is what matters. In such a scenario to have a seasoned economist as the next President would be a good choice.

Syed Ata Hasnain

Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) was in the race to become the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. Many say he knows the problem of the state like the back of his palm. Wouldn't he be a good candidate considering the fact that India has been having trouble resolving the J&K problem?

MN Venkatachalaiah

The former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is probably one of the best judges the country has ever seen. Polite, polished and a legal luminary with an expertise in Constitutional affairs, he would be a great candidate to have as the next President.

Baba Ramdev

Baba Ramdev has been making waves with his Patanjali products. He has clearly been one of the pioneers of PM Modi's pet-project-- Make in India. If made the next President of India, he could be a perfect blend of Hindutva and entrepreneurship.

Syed Zainiul Abedein Ali Khan

The Dewan of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, he is one of the main faces of Sufism in India. A moderate by nature, he would be a good choice to occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan. Remember, the meetings between PM Modi and Sufi leaders that took place to discuss how to counter radicalisation. In such a context making him the President would convey a loud and strong message.

Irom Sharmila

The peace activist-turned-politician, Sharmila is a fighter in the true sense of the term. She sat on a hunger strike for 16 years demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur. The Iron Lady of Manipur and Northeast India has all the potential to be the country's President.

Prof CNR Rao

Like former President APJ Abdul Kalam, Rao is a noted scientist. The Bharat Ratna winner and former director of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Rao has always encouraged the country to achieve greater scientific glory. Now, why not let him push India towards all round success as its President?

Shabana Azmi

While the name of Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth are the popular choices as the President from the world of film industry, we want Azmi to grace the chair. She is not only a multi-national award winner for her stellar performances, but she has led several people's movements and is a liberal Indian voice from the Muslim community.

Milkha Singh

If India wants to run, Singh can literally make the country bhag (run). The Flying Sikh and the veteran army man held the record of being the only Indian athlete to win an individual athletics gold medal at a Commonwealth Games until Krishna Poonia won the discus gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Ratan Tata

A shrewd businessman and a handsome orator, what more India could ask for. The de-facto head of the Tata Sons, the septuagenarian has all the qualities to help India turn into a ‘brand' name like the Tata.

Anna Hazare

The man who woke up India against the slumber of corruption by leading the Anti-Corruption Movement in 2011, Hazare defines purity and prudence of a village life. The former army jawan can guide India to keep ourselves morally, politically and socially swachh.

Ramachandra Guha

What will be a country without a scholar? Currently, Guha is country's most powerful political, social and sports voice, who understands and articulates Indian issues with great panache. India definitely needs a powerful voice as its President.

Narayan Murthy

The founder of India's tech giant, Infosys, Murthy, the technocrat-entrepreneur is a popular public personality. He is not only the grand-old man of India's IT revolution, but is a well-known writer and philanthropist too.

Fali Nariman

Like Ram Jethmalani and Soli Sorabjee, Nariman is country's top most lawyers. For an argumentative India, we definitely deserve a man who can argue our cases properly.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The man who teaches India the ‘Art of Living' definitely has the potential to bring moral and spiritual changes in the countrymen who are daily fighting various struggles.

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