End of the Pranab era: Looking back at the life less ordinary

New Delhi: Being the President was not exactly Poltu-da's (Pranab Mukherjee's nickname) plan of action in his 48-year-long political career. 

In 2015, a secret cable sent to the then US secretary defense Donald Rumsfeld by ambassador David Mulford, described Mukherjee, the then Finance Minister, as the “prime minister-in waiting”.

The cable, a part of Wikileaks, described him with "influence over both government policy and public opinion is rivaled only by that of the prime minister himself. He is, in effect, the deputy prime minister, and we believe he aspires to the top job," the cable reads.

Mukherjee narrowly missed the top post twice: In 1984, immediately after Indira Gandhi's assassination, when Rajiv Gandhi was chosen as the next prime ministerial candidate; and once again in 2004, when Congress chose Dr Manmohan Singh. 

Fate, it seems, had other plans.

In 2012, Poltu-da was nominated as the presidential candidate of the United Progressive Alliance. He won the election with 713,763 votes, becoming the first Bengali to hold the post of President of India.

Tonight, President Pranab Mukherjee, the 13th president of India, will leave the Rashtrapati Bhavan, paving way for his successor Ram Nath Kovind. 

A close confidant of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, the Pranab Mukherjee had a reputation -- no one could make him divulge information that he did not want to reveal.

Throughout his career, Poltu-da held several offices including that of finance, defence, foreign portfolios.

But all this came at a cost.

"I have no personal life even though I am a family man ... days together it may happen living under the same roof hardly I see my wife though she is sick," he said, reported NDTV.

His wife Suvra Mukherjee died as the First Lady of India on August 18, 2015.

Mukherjee's tenure has been called the 'copybook president' - fearless, powerful, pragmatic and a strong negotiator.

Poltu-da will now move in to a new heritage home at 10, Rajaji Marg mansion in Lutyen's Delhi.