Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
Mr Ramnath Kovind today sworn in as the 14th President of India. He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India Justice JS Khehar at a special function held at the Central hall of Parliament.
Kovind was administered the oath of office to “preserve, protect and defend the constitution and law” by Chief Justice of India J S Kehar in an impressive ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament.
He took oath in Hindi to thunderous applause and thumping of desks by the gathering, including Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee and former president Pratibha Patil.
Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Devegowda, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, former deputy prime minister L K Advani as well as Union ministers and foreign dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
After he took oath, Kovind was given a 21-gun salute to mark the assumption of office of the highest constitutional post in the country.
Once the oath taking was over, Kovind and Mukherjee exchanged seats on the dais after which the new president delivered his maiden speech as president.
Kovind was elected with 65 per cent of votes defeating Meira Kumar to occupy the top post.
Before the ceremony Mr Kovind visited Rajghat to pay his respect to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi
From the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President-elect and the incumbent proceeded in a ceremonial cavalcade.
The dais at the central hall was shared by President and President-elect, Speaker, Vice President and Chief Justice of India. After the oath the new President was honored with a 21-gun salute followed by the acceptance speech of Mr Kovind.
Ram Nath Kovind who served as the 35th Governor of Bihar was born on 1st October 1945 in Paraukh village in the Kanpur Dehat district, Uttar Pradesh.
Born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, had also earned the support of the JD(U), which broke ranks with the “mahagathbandhan” because of his non-confrontational approach as governor of the state.
A commerce graduate, Kovind studied law at the Kanpur University, practised in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. He was also the central government’s standing counsel in the apex court from 1980-93.
Kovind, who headed Dalit Morcha from 1998 to 2002, also led the All-India Koli Samaj.