Ram Nath Kovind is the 14th President of India

Former Governor of Bihar, Ram Nath Kovind has been elected as the 14th President of India. He defeated his opponent Meira Kumar to win the Presidential elections with 65.65% votes. Kovind, a Dalit leader and NDA candidate for the President of India was the Governor of Bihar from 2015 to 2017. After the nomination for the post of President of India, he had resigned from his post as Governor of Bihar, and the then President of India Pranab Mukherjee had accepted his resignation on 20 June 2017. This is for the first time that India’s President is a person hailing from Uttar Pradesh, a state known for giving the country the most number of prime ministers – nine to date. India has had three Presidents each from the states of Tamil Nadu and undivided Andhra Pradesh. Returning officer, Anoop Mishra informed that 72-year-old Kovind, who will be the second Dalit after K R Narayanan to hold the top constitutional position, received 2930 votes with a value of 702044. Kumar, also a Dalit, polled in 1844 votes with a value of 367314. The polling was marked by cross-voting in various states where many opposition members favoured Kovind. Having won the presidential elections, Kovind said, “This is the novelty of Indian democracy that today I am elected the President of the country” Kovind will take office as president on 25 July 2017, succeeding Pranab Mukherjee as the 14th President of India. As the results of the presidential poll were declared, a festive atmosphere prevailed outside the residence of Kovind in Maharishi Dayanand Vihar colony of Kalyanpur with people exchanging sweets and embracing each other.