Ram Nath Kovind has sworn in as the 14th President of India on Sunday in the Central Hall of the Parliament.
Ram Nath Kovind, a former BJP member, and an RSS activist was on Tuesday sworn in as the 14th President of India.
Chief Justice J.S. Khehar administered the oath of office to Kovind in the presence of outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament’s Central Hall.
Immediately after the oath taking ceremony, Kovind, 71, exchanged the chair with Mukherjee to take over the top constitutional post of India – as the head of the state and supreme commander of the Indian Armed forces.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and outgoing Vice President M. Hamid Ansari and MPs were present in the Central Hall.
Kovind, former Bihar Governor, is the second Dalit President of India after K.R. Narayanan.
Ram Nath Kovind who was raised in poverty but always had determination, he has always been a true gentleman. He has helped in the marriage of many girls.
President Kovind in his speech after being sworn in said that he is accepting this position with all humility and he is grateful for this responsibility. He comes from a very simple background and his journey has been very long. He further said that he felt privileged to walk on the same path as former President Pranab Mukherjee, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, and Dr. Radhakrishnan.
Watch the live streaming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ7Gn0zjDm8#action=share
The first tweet from the brand new twitter account of President of India read that, “Honoured to be sworn in as the 14th President of India; would be carrying out my responsibilities with all humility.”
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
President Kovind gave very strong speech after being sworn in as the President of India, He began his speech by thanking, “I thank you for electing me to the responsibility of the President of India, and I enter this office with all humility. Coming here to Central Hall has brought back so many memories. I have been a Member of Parliament and here, in this very Central Hall, have had discussions with many of you. Often we agreed, sometimes we disagreed. But we learnt to respect each other. And that is the beauty of democracy.”
Then he talked about his journey, “I grew up in a mud house, in a small village. My journey has been a long one, and yet this journey is hardly mine alone.” He further added that, “I am conscious I am following in the footsteps of stalwarts such as Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and my immediate predecessor, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, whom we address out of affection as ‘Pranab Da’.”
Then he said tha “Nation building requires national pride: We take pride in the soil and water of India, We take pride in the diversity, religious harmony and inclusive ethos of India, We take pride in the culture, heritage and spirituality of India, We take pride in our fellow citizens, We take pride in our work and We take pride in the little things we do every day.”
He further added that, “Each citizen of India is a nation builder: The armed forces that protect our borders and keep us safe are nation builders, those police and paramilitary forces that fight terrorism and crime are nation builders, that farmer toiling in the blazing sun to feed fellow citizens is a nation builder. And we must never forget that so much of our farm labour comprises women, that scientist concentrating tirelessly and 24 x 7 to send an Indian space mission to Mars, or invent a vaccine, is a nation builder, that nurse or doctor helping the sick to recover and fighting disease in a remote village, is a nation builder.
That young person who founds a start-up and becomes a job creator is a nation builder. The start-up could be on a small farm, converting mangoes to pickles. Or in an artisans’ village, weaving carpets. Or at a laboratory lit up by giant screens.
That tribal and ordinary citizen striving to preserve our ecology, our forests, our wildlife, to push back climate change and to advance the cause of renewable energy, is a nation builder.
That committed and driven public servant who works beyond the call of duty, whether on a flooded road, directing traffic; or in a quiet room, poring over detailed files, is a nation builder.
That self-less teacher who equips young children and shapes their destinies, is a nation builder, Those countless women who take care of families with so many other responsibilities, at home and work, and raise children to become ideal citizens, are nation builders.
