Pranab Mukherjee sworn-in 13th President Today

Pranab Mukherjee was on Wednesday sworn-in as the country’s 13th President at an impressive ceremony in the packed and historic Central Hall of Parliament.

Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia administered the oath of office to Mr Mukherjee in the presence of Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers, Governors and a host of dignitaries.

Mr Mukherjee took the oath of office in the name of God in English to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law”.

Mr Mukherjee was then given a 21-gun salute after which he signed the oath register amid a thunderous applause and thumping of desks.

‘Hunger is a humiliation’

In his brief acceptance address, he said the principal responsibility of his office is to function as the guardian of the Constitution.

“I will strive to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution not just in words but in spirit,” Mr Mukherjee said.

He also said word poverty should be eliminated from the dictionary of modern India but felt trickle down theory would not work. He said hunger is a humiliation for the mankind.

Referring to the change of equations post Cold War, he said the world was in the midst of fourth World War, fighting terror of which India had the early experience.

Mr Mukherjee ended his speech saying “there can be no greater reward for a public servant than becoming the First Citizen of the country”.

PTI