Former diplomat Hameed Ansari, 70, nominee of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), was sworn in as vice president of India on Saturday, DPA reported. Ansari will be taking over from veteran politician Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who stepped down in July after he was defeated by Pratibha Patil, also a UPA nominee, in the presidential election. The post of vice president is the second-highest constitutional position in India. The vice president officiates in the absence of the president and is also chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament. Ansari, who has never been a member of parliament, will take over as Rajya Sabha chairman on Monday. Ansari's last post was chairman of the National Minorities Commission. As a diplomat he has served as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia. He was also high commissioner to Australia and India's permanent representative at the United Nations. Ansari defeated the opposition National Democratic Alliance's Najma Heptulla and the eight-party grouping United National Progressive Alliance's Rasheed Masood in the vice-presidential elections.
