Draupadi Murmu takes oath as 15th President of India

New Delhi: Newly elected President Draupadi Murmu was sworn-in as the 15th President of India at a grand ceremony in New Delhi today. She became the first tribal woman in the country and second woman after Pratibha Patil  to hold the top constitutional post.

At 64, Murmu is the youngest-ever President with a teaching background after Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (1962-1967), Dr Zakir Hussain (1967-69), Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma (1992-1997), K.R. Narayanan (1997-2002), and Pranab Mukherjee (2012-17), ascending to the country’s highest office.

Draping a Shantal tribal saree, she took the oath of office by the Chief Justice of India N. V. Ramana in presence of outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries including Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Cabinet Ministers in Central Hall of Sansad Bhawan.

Before leaving for the swearing-in ceremony, Murmu reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan, her home and office for the next five years, where she was welcomed by Kovind and his wife Savita.

The outgoing President had then escorted Murmu to the Presidential study for a brief meeting.

Earlier in the morning, Murmu paid tributes to the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

Murmu was elected as the 15th President of India defeating Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha in the Presidential poll held on July 18. She succeeded incumbent Ram Nath Kovind.