Droupadi Murmu takes oath as president of India

Droupadi Murmu takes oath as the President of India, the highest constitutional post of the country, followed by a 21-gun salute.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana administered the oath of office of the President to her, ND TV reported.

The oath-taking ceremony was marked by pomp and grandeur and began with the arrival of outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind and Murmu in a procession from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the Parliament Building.

Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Members of the Council of Ministers, Governors, Chief Ministers, heads of diplomatic missions, MPs, and principal civil and military officers attended the oath ceremony.

Former President Pratibha Patil and Chief Ministers Naveen Patnaik, Eknath Shinde, Jairam Thakur, Yogi Adityanath, and N Biren Singh were among the dignitaries present.

President-elect Murmu, 64, scripted history on Thursday after defeating opposition presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha to become the first tribal and the second woman to hold the top constitutional post.

RHM/PR