NEW DELHI: Pratibha Patil was sworn in as India's first woman President with pomp and ceremony and pledged to live up to the "high expectations" of those who elected her and to serve the best interests of the people of the country.

The 72-year-old Patil, who was brought out of near obscurity of the Raj Bhawan in Jaipur to become the choice of the UPA-Left combine, took the oath of office in the high-domed historic Central Hall of Parliament in the presence of her highly popular predecessor A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Leaders of all parties, including the BJP which had attacked her candidature, Governors and Chief Ministers and the diplomatic corp. also attended the ceremony. In a brief prepared address after being sworn in as the 12th President by the Chief Justice of India, she said "It will be my sincere endeavor to live up to the high expectations of all those who have chosen to elect me, and to serve the best interests of the people of India. "

I am fully aware of the great responsibility that has been placed on my humble shoulders." Patil favored socially inclusive economic growth and unity in the fight against divisive tendencies like communalism. "It should be our combined endeavor to sustain this growth and ensure that it is socially inclusive.

We must ensure that every section of our society -- particularly the weak and the disadvantaged -- is equal partners in and beneficiaries of the development process," she said. Later Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called on President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhawan and briefed her on important national and international issues.

This was the first meeting Singh had with Patil after she took the oath of office as the country's first woman president. During the 20-minute meeting, the two leaders discussed matters of "national and international importance", the President's Press Secretary S M Khan said without elaborating.

The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur, also greeted Patil on her assuming the high office.