Kovind is India’s second Dalit president, after K.R. Narayanan.
14th president of India Ram Nath Kovind. Credit: PTI
New Delhi: Ram Nath Kovind was sworn in as India’s 14th president at a ceremony in parliament on Tuesday, July 25, with Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar administering the oath of office.
Ram Nath Kovind sworn in as the 14th President of India pic.twitter.com/ThzEFb3Wte
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2017
I am accepting this position with all humility and I am grateful for this responsibility: President #RamNathKovind
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2017
Honoured to be sworn in as the 14th President of India; would be carrying out my responsibilities with all humility #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) July 25, 2017
Kovind succeeds Pranab Mukherjee, whose single term as president expired on July 24.
According to NDTV, among those present at the ceremony were Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
Securing over 65% of the votes, former governor of Bihar and NDA nominee won the presidential election last week defeating opposition candidate Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker.
Kovind polled a total of 2,930 votes with the value of 7,02,044.
Kovind is India’s second Dalit president, after K.R. Narayanan.
Also read: Why the Combination of Dalit and Hindutva that Kovind Brings as President Matters to BJP
Earlier in the day, the new president visited Rajghat to pay his respect to Mahatma Gandhi and then went to the Rashtrapati Bhavan where he was received by Mukherjee, from where they left for the parliament.
Ram Nath Kovind at Rajghat to pay his respect to Mahatma Gandhi. Credit: PTI
Delhi: #RamNathKovind's family members arrive at the Parliament ahead of his swearing-in, say they are extremely happy and proud. pic.twitter.com/oV9z0V5jLh
— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2017
After the ceremony ends, Kovind will leave for Rashtrapati Bhavan while Mukherjee will leave for his new address – 10 Rajaji Marg.
Born in 1945 in Path village of Derapur block of Kanpur, the 71-year-old Dalit leader is a two-time Rajya Sabha member (1994-2000 and 2000-2006). He is also a former BJP national spokesperson and headed the party’s Scheduled Caste Morcha between 1999 and 2002.
A lawyer by profession – who served as an advocate in both the high court and the Supreme Court for nearly 16 years – Kovind was an executive assistant to former Prime Minister Morarji Desai before he joined the BJP.
(With PTI inputs)