New Delhi, December 11: Pranab Mukherjee, the late former President of India, was born on this date in the year 1935. Today marks his 85th birth anniversary. Leaders cutting across political lines will pay tribute to the man who contributed immensely in strengthening India's polity. This is also the first birth anniversary his tragic demise on August 31 this year. Here are five lesser known facts about him. Pranab Mukherjee: From Campaign Manager to President of India, A Look At The Political Rise of The Congress Stalwart And Bharat Ratna.

Parliament Entry: Pranab entered the Indian Parliament in the year 1969, when then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi found him as a resourceful talent and gave a Congress ticket for the Rajya Sabha. He remained a Member of the Parliament for most of the period till 2012 -- when he stepped back from electoral politics and was elevated as the President of India.

Sidelined by Rajiv Gandhi: After the death of Indira, political analysts claim that Pranab was sidelined by her son Rajiv. The two were considered as competitors to claim the leadership of the Congress party. His political career was revived in 1991, under the government led by PV Narasimha Rao.

First Lok Sabha Win: Pranab, despite being active in national politics since 1969, was elected to the Lower House of Parliament for the first time in 2004. He had succeeded in winning the Jangipur seat of West Bengal.

Presidential Race: Mukherjee was challenged by former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma in the presidential polls of 2012. He, however, succeeded in winning with nearly 70 percent of the electoral college votes.

RSS Event: Mukherjee became the first former President in India to address the First ex-President to address the keynote Tritiya Varsh Varg event organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

His decision to attend the programme had drawn widespread criticism, including from his daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee. However, Pranab in his speech reiterated the values of secularism and communal harmony which he promoted throughout his life.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 11, 2020 07:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).