Above: Ram Nath Kovind being sworn in as President by Chief Justice of India JS Khehar. Photo: PIB
At Parliament’s Central hall, 15 minutes past noon on Tuesday (July 25), Ram Nath Kovind was administered the oath as the 14th President of India by the Chief Justice of India JS Khehar. Kovind became the second Dalit president of the country, after KR Narayanan. He took over as the top executive from Pranab Mukherjee.
Following the oath-taking ceremony, Kovind told MPs and Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “I am thankful to you all for giving me the responsibility to be the President of India. I come from a humble background. The journey has been long. I will stand by and represent all 125 crore fellow Indians. I understand the massive responsibility that this is. Former Presidents, from Rajendra Prasad to Pranab Mukherjee, all have been great leaders…. I hope to live up to that greatness.”
Kovind becomes the first president from the RSS cadre. This will be the first time that the right-wing organisation, mentor to the ruling BJP, will be in inside Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Those present at the swearing-in ceremony included Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, union ministers, governors, chief ministers, ambassadors, diplomats, MPs and senior civil and military officers.
RAM NATH KOVIND
Born: October 1, 1945 (age 71), Kanpur Dehat.
Education: Commerce graduate. Studied law at Kanpur University.
Married to Savita Kovind. One son, one daughter.
Background: A Dalit, son of a farmer; practised at Delhi High Court and Supreme Court for more than 15 years; former president BJP Dalit Morcha; former BJP national spokesperson; Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh 1994 to 2000 and 2000 to 2006; worked as aide to former PM Morarji Desai; represented India at the United Nations in New York; was member of Parliamentary committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes/Tribes, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Law and Justice; appointed Governor of Bihar three years ago.
—India Legal Bureau