Kovind takes oath as 14th Prez in grand ceremony

Begins innings by invoking RSS ideologue Deendayal

Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday took oath at the 14th President of India, the first BJP leader to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhawan, and said India's unity in diversity was the key to its success.

The 71-year-old Kovind was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India J S Khehar at an impressive ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament. He took oath in the name of God and pledged to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law”.

The ceremony was attended by outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Governors, Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, Parliamentarians diplomats and 22 members from Kovind's family.

Kovind began his innings in office invoking Sardar Patel, Deendayal Upadhyay – leaders looked up by the Sangh parivar and dove-tailing their message with that of Mahatma Gandhi.

Absent from the President's inaugural speech was any reference to Congress stalwarts barring those held dear by the BJP.

A section of BJP MPs raised slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' soon after Kovind was sworn-in as the President.

Upadhyaya's philosophy of 'antodyaya' was also reflected in the President's speech as he spoke of reaching the fruits of development to the “last person, in the last house in the last village.”

At the outset, the President said he was conscious that he was following in the footsteps of stalwarts such as Dr Rajendra Prasad, S Radhakrishnan, APJ Abdul Kalam and his immediate predecessor Pranab Mukherjee.

“We need to build an India that is an economic leader as well as moral exemplar. For us, those two touchstones can never be separate. They are and must forever be linked,” said Kovind, the first leader from Uttar Pradesh to adorn the top constitutional post.

Reflecting a clear shift from the era of entitlement furthered during the UPA, the President spoke of the government being a facilitator in nation building.

“Nations are not built by governments alone. The government can at best be a facilitator, and a trigger for society's innate entrepreneurial and creative instincts. Nation building requires national pride,” Kovind said.

Referring to Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and B.R. Ambedkar, the President said these leaders did not believe that political freedom was enough. “For them, it was crucial to also achieve economic and social freedom for millions of our people,” he said.

“The key to India's success is its diversity. Our diversity is the core that makes us so unique. In this land we find a mix of states and regions, religions, languages, cultures, lifestyles and much more. We are so different and yet so similar and united,” the President said.

Kovind said India of the 21st century India will be in conformity with its ancient values as well as compliant with the fourth industrial revolution. “There is no dichotomy there, no question of choice. We must combine tradition and technology, the wisdom of an age-old Bharat and the science of a contemporary India.” he said.

Earlier, the President-elect and his wife Savita were ceremonially escorted to the Rashtrapati Bhawan where Mukherjee took Kovind on a guided tour of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.