The President of India who held office for the shortest period was:

Zakir Husain. Dr. Zakir Husain was President of India from 13 May 1967 until his death on 3 May 1969, a period of just under two years. This is the shortest tenure of any elected President of India.

Why his tenure was short:

• He died in office of a heart attack, before completing even half of his five-year term.
• His death created a vacancy in the office of President, which led to the eventful presidential election of 1969.

About Dr. Zakir Husain:

• He was an educationist and one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia.
• He had been Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Governor of Bihar and Vice-President of India before becoming President.
• He was the first Muslim President of India.
• He was awarded the Bharat Ratna.

Presidents with longer tenures:

Most Presidents have completed a full term of office.

What happens when the President dies in office:

• The Vice-President acts as President until a new President is elected.
• An election to fill the vacancy must be held within six months.
• The newly elected President holds office for a full term from the date he enters office.

The 1969 presidential election:

After his death, the election became a contest between V.V. Giri and Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.

Giri won with the help of second-preference votes, in a contest that led to a split in the Congress party.

Legacy:

• He is remembered as a scholar-President who combined learning with public service.
• The Zakir Husain Delhi College and many schools are named after him.

Why not the other options?

V.V. Giri, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and K.R. Narayanan had longer tenures as President.