PM Narendra Modi hosts farewell dinner for outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind; union ministers, tribal leaders attend

Farewell dinner for outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind was attended by members of the Union Cabinet, chief ministers of various states, tribal leaders and other dignitaries. President-elect Droupadi Murmu also attended the farewell dinner for Kovind whose term ends Monday.

Image Credit: ANI/Twitter

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hosted a farewell dinner for outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind, which was attended by members of the Union Cabinet, chief ministers of various states and other dignitaries. President-elect Droupadi Murmu also attended the farewell dinner for Kovind whose term ends Monday.

Visuals of the farewell dinner hosted by PM Narendra Modi for outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind in Delhi

Various Padma awardees and many tribal leaders were present. pic.twitter.com/gvO4R7Q0Fj

— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2022

Official sources said the dinner had good representation from all parts of the country, including many Padma awardees and tribal leaders. A source said this dinner was "unique" as it did not have the usual Delhi-centric crowd and emphasis was to make it more representative.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and members of the Prime Minister's Cabinet were present at the event. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also attended it.

Murmu was elected to be the next President of India on Friday after she comprehensively defeated the opposition's presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha. She will take oath at the Central Hall of Parliament on Monday. To facilitate members to attend the ceremony, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will meet that day at 2 pm instead of 11 am.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana will administer the oath to Murmu. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday issued a certificate of the election to NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu as the next President of India. Droupadi Murmu, who was BJP-led NDA`s candidate in the Presidential election defeated Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.