Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as India’s 15th President in a ceremony held at the Central Hall of Parliament.
Chief Justice of India N V Ramana administered the oath of office to Murmu. The ceremony was attended by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers, governors, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries.
She comes from the Santhal community and she is first tribal leader to assume the office of the President of the country.
In her address on assuming the office of President of India, Murmu said in these 25 years, the path to attain the goals of Amritkal will proceed on two tracks – Sabka Prayas aur Sabka Kartavya (everyone’s effort and everyone’s duty).
The new development journey towards the bright future of India has to be undertaken by our collective efforts, following the path of duty, she said.
I belong to tribal society. I have got the opportunity to rise from serving as a ward councillor to becoming the President of India. This is the greatness of India, the mother of democracy, she said.
It is a tribute to the power of our democracy that a daughter born in a poor house in a remote tribal area can reach the highest constitutional position in India, she said.
That I attained the post of President is not my personal achievement, it is the achievement of every poor person in India, she said.
I started my journey of life from a small tribal village in Odisha in the eastern part of the country, she said.
From the background that I come from, it was like a dream for me to get elementary education, she said.
But despite many obstacles, my determination remained strong and I became the first daughter of my village to go to college, she said.
My election is a proof of the fact that the poor in India can have dreams and fulfil them too, she said.
I express my heartfelt gratitude to all Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies for electing me to the highest Constitutional post of India.
Your vote for me is an expression of the faith of crores of citizens of the country, she said.
I humbly greet all the fellow citizens from this sacred Parliament, a symbol of the hopes, aspirations and rights of all the citizens of India, she said.
Your affection, trust and support will be my greatest strength in discharging my functions and responsibilities, she said.
The country has elected me as the President at a crucial time when we are celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, she said.
