After the turmoil in the Congress Party, he chose to retire to home town Anantpur, and devoted most of his time to agriculture, which had always been… - Neelam Sanjiva Reddy

After he resigned from the post of Speaker in July 1969, to contest the office of the President, he was an official candidate for the Congress Party. But this election created a history on the Indian Political scene. The Congress was split into two; the Congress candidate was defeated by the congress itself and an independent candidate [V.V.Giri] in his place was elected.

The presidents of India carried their own cultural dress code within and without India. They remained among the common people. When he became the president, he marched from his farm to Delhi to occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan.

He having been defeated in the year 1969, became the President of this great country, on 21 July 1977. He was perhaps the first President who had the good fortune of having been appointed unopposed, whereas all other incumbents had to face contest for this office.