Droupadi Murmu takes oath as India's 15th President

New Delhi: President-elect Droupadi Murmu took oath of office for the highest constitutional post in the country at the Central Hall of Parliament on Monday. Chief Justice of India N V Ramana administered her oath at a ceremony held at Parliament's Central Hall in the presence of former president Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi amongst others.

She took the oath in the name of god in Hindi. 

"My election to the post is not only my own achievement, but that of every poor of the country. It is a reflection of the confidence of crores of Indians. It is proof that poor in the country can have dreams and also fulfil them," the President said in her first address to the nation.

The ceremony was followed by a 21-gun salute. She will address the gathering at the Central Hall as the 15th President of India shortly.

Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Members of the Council of Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, heads of diplomatic missions, Members of Parliament and principal civil and military officers of the government attended the ceremony.

On the conclusion of the ceremony in the central hall of the Parliament, the President will leave for Rashtrapati Bhavan where an inter-services guard of honour will be given to her in the forecourt and courtesies will be extended to the outgoing President.

Ahead of the ceremony, Murmu reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan, her home and office for the next five years, on Monday morning where she was welcomed by outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita Kovind.

Murmu was welcomed by the Kovinds who offered her a bouquet. President Kovind then escorted her to the Presidential study for a brief meeting before leaving for the Parliament House.

Earlier this morning, Murmu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, at Raj Ghat.

Here's the schedule:

• 8.15am – President-elect Droupadi Murmu will leave for Raj Ghat.
• 8.30am – She will arrive at Raj ghat and offer floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
• 8.40am – Murmu will return to her temporary residence at Chankyapuri
• 9.22am – The President-elect will reach the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• 9.42am – A ceremony to be conducted in the Forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• 9.50am – She will leave in a ceremonial Presidential convoy for Parliament.
• 10am – Murmu will arrive at Parliament.
• 10.15am – The President-elect will take the oath of office. It will be followed by a 21-gun salute.
• 10.23am – She will address the gathering in the Central Hall.
• 10.57am – President Murmu will return to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in a ceremonial procession.

Murmu, following the ceremony, became tenth successive President to take oath on July 25.

Murmu, 64, scripted history on Thursday after defeating Opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha in an one-sided contest.

Murmu won the election by an overwhelming margin against Sinha after receiving over 64 per cent valid votes of MPs and MLAs, comprising the electoral college, to succeed Ram Nath Kovind to become the country's 15th president. Murmu got 6,76,803 votes against Sinha's 3,80,177 votes.

She will become India's first tribal President. She will be the first President to be born after independence and is the youngest to occupy the top post. She is also the second woman to become the President.

Murmu will become the 10th successive president to take oath on July 25 since 1977. Records show that since 1977, successive presidents have taken oath on July 25.

India's first President Rajendra Prasad took oath on January 26, 1950 – the day India became a Republic. In 1952, he went on to win the first presidential poll. He won the second presidential election and was in office till May 1962.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan took oath as the president on May 13, 1962 and was in office till May 13, 1967.

Two presidents – Zakir Husain and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed – could not complete their tenures as they died in harness.

Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, the sixth president of India, took oath on July 25, 1977. Since then successive presidents including Giani Zail Singh, R Venkataraman, Shankar Dayal Sharma, K R Narayanan, A P J Abdul Kalam, Pratibha Patil, Pranab Mukherjee and Ram Nath Kovind have taken oath on July 25.

(With IANS and PTI inputs)