Pratibha Patil sworn in as India's first female president

By Simon Denyer

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's first female president was sworn in on Wednesday, after a vitriolic campaign which undermined the symbolism of the appointment and raised doubts about Pratibha Patil's suitability for the ceremonial role.

The 72-year-old Patil, dressed in a white and green saree draped over her head, took the oath of office inside parliament's packed and ornate central hall, promising to uphold the constitution and devote herself to the people of India.

She then received a 21-gun salute.

"Today India stands at the threshold of a new era of progress," she said. "We must make sure that every section of society, particularly the weak and disadvantaged, are equal partners and beneficiaries in the development process."

But her words may count for little given her lack of power and the manner of her accession to the job.

The governor of Rajasthan, she had been plucked from relative obscurity to become the government's compromise candidate for the job, after the coalition failed to agree on a host of other, male candidates.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, the most powerful politician in the country, then billed the appointment as a historic day for India's women.

Critics said it was a hollow gesture after a campaign marred by bitter partisan politics and unprecedented mud-slinging.