Droupadi Murmu assumes office of President of India

New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): Newly sworn-in Droupadi Murmu on Monday assumed the office of the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
She assumed office in a handing-over ceremony from outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
After assuming office, President Murmu inspected a tri-services guard of honour at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Former President Kovind, whose five-year term ended on Sunday left from Rashtrapati Bhawan and arrived at his new residence on Janpath Road.
Kovind was allotted 12 Janpath as his retirement home in June this year. The bungalow was occupied previously by the family of late union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Before moving to his new residence, the Tri-Services Guard of Honour was presented to former President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Murmu was today administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India NV Ramanna.
In her address to the nation after being sworn in, Murmu stated that she was the first President to be born in independent India and was honoured to take charge at a time when the country is completing 75 years of Independence.
The first tribal and second woman to hold the country's highest constitutional office said her elevation to the post is not only her own achievement but that of every poor of the country and is a reflection of the confidence of crores of Indians.
"Johar! Namaskar! I humbly greet all my fellow citizens from this sacred Parliament, a symbol of the hopes, aspirations and rights of all the citizens of India. Your affection, trust and support will be my greatest strength in discharging my functions and responsibilities," she said.
"I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the MPs and all the members of the Legislative Assembly for being elected to the highest constitutional post of India. Your vote is an expression of the faith of crores of citizens of the country," Murmu said.
"Reaching the post of President is not my personal achievement, it is the achievement of every poor in India."
"It is the power of our democracy that a daughter born in a poor house, a daughter born in a remote tribal area, can reach the highest constitutional post of India," she added.
She also said that the country needs to speed up the efforts to meet the expectations that our freedom fighters had with the citizens of independent India.
Murmu said that the country has elected her as the President at a crucial time when India is celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
She further said, "I am the first President of the country who was born in independent India. We have to work at a fast pace in this Amritkal to fulfil the expectations that our freedom fighters had made from us citizens of independent India. In these 25 years, the path to the accomplishment of Amritkal will proceed on two tracks - everyone's effort and everyone's duty."
The president further extended wishes to the Indian Army of the country to all the citizens of the country on Kargil Vijay Diwas in advance.
She further said that is the power of our democracy that a daughter born in a poor house, a daughter born in a remote tribal area, can reach the highest constitutional post of India.
Murmu assured all the countrymen, especially the youth of India and the women of India, that while working in this position, their interests will be paramount to her. (ANI)