President of India Ram Nath Kovind greeted Pejawar Mutt Pontiff Vishwesha Teertha Swami, who completed 80 years of asceticism, at Pejawar Mutt in Udupi on Thursday.

He wished that the seer lived past 100 years as the society needed his service.

Felicitating the seer, the President expressed happiness on visiting the temple.

Kovind said he was impressed about the Swami’s enthusiasm for life and congratulated him on having completed 80 years of asceticism.

Vishwesha Teertha Swami said he was overjoyed by the visit of President of India.

“The President of India, as representative of the country, has come here to seek the blessings of Lord Krishna,” the swamiji said.

Kovind was felicitated and presented with a Yakshagana `mundasu’ (head gear), a panchaloha idol of Lord Krishna and 12 books authored by Vishwesha Teertha Swami himself.

The seer presented sarees and Shankarapura jasmine to Savitha Kovind, wife of Ram Nath Kovind and Kavitha Acharya, wife of Nagaland Governor Padmanabh Acharya.

Later, Ram Nath Kovind left for Sri Krishna temple and had the darshan of the presiding deity.

At the temple, President Kovind was felicitated by the Paryaya Palimar Pontiff Vidyadeesha Swami and presented with a 1.5-ft tall Panchaloha idol of Kadegolu Krishna and a gold replica of Sri Krishna Temple’s inner sanctum sanctotum.

The President invited the seers to visit Rashtrapathi Bhavan in New Delhi, prior to his departure from the temple at 12.50 pm.