Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hosted a farewell dinner for outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind. The event, held in the national capital, was “unique” as it did not have the usual Delhi-centric crowd, official sources said. The gathering had a good representation from all parts of the country as various Padma awardees and tribal leaders attended the event.
President-elect Droupadi Murmu, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, members of the Union Cabinet, Chief Ministers of various states, and other dignitaries attended the event. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was also present.
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President Kovind is all set to bid adieu to the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday after completing his full five-year term.
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Addressing a gathering, Kovind had once referred to his humble background and said he grew up in a mud house in a small village and that his journey to the presidency had been a long one. “It is so telling of our nation and our society also. For all its problems, it follows that basic mantra given to us in the preamble to the Constitution – of ensuring justice, liberty, equality and fraternity – and I will always continue to follow this basic mantra,” he had said. Kovind had then said the key to India’s success is its diversity.
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Kovind’s achievements as governor of Bihar in 2015 paved the way for his credentials as a candidate for the presidency in 2017. He became the second Dalit to occupy the top constitutional post after KR Narayanan, who was the first Dalit president of the country from July 25, 1997 to July 25, 2002.
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As the President of India, Kovind received the highest State honours from six countries – Madagascar, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Croatia, Bolivia and Republic of Guinea.
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Murmu was elected to be the 15th President of India after she defeated the Opposition’s presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha. She will be the first woman from the tribal community to become the President and will take oath at the Central Hall of Parliament on Monday.
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