21 gun salute, Santali saree for swearing-in: Droupadi Murmu to take oath as President on Monday

NEW DELHI: President-elect Droupadi Murmu will take oath of office of the highest constitutional post of the country on Monday followed by a 21-gun salute.

The Union Home Ministry said the ceremony will be held at the central hall of Parliament at 10.15 AM on Monday where Chief Justice of India N V Ramana will administer the oath of the office of the President to her.

The President-elect will take the oath of office followed by a 21-gun salute, the home ministry said.

The President will then deliver an address.

Before the ceremony, the outgoing President and the President-elect will arrive in Parliament in a ceremonial procession.

Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha 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, Members of Parliament and principal civil and military officers of the government will attend the ceremony.

On the conclusion of the ceremony in the central hall of the Parliament, the President will leave for Rashtrapati Bhavan where an inter-services guard of honour will be given to her in the forecourt and courtesies will be extended to the outgoing President.

Murmu, 64, scripted history on Thursday after defeating Opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha in an one-sided contest.

She would become India's first tribal President.

Murmu won the election by an overwhelming margin against Sinha after receiving over 64 per cent valid votes of MPs and MLAs, comprising the electoral college, to succeed Ram Nath Kovind to become the country's 15th president.

Murmu got 6,76,803 votes against Sinha's 3,80,177 votes.

She will be the first President to be born after independence and is the youngest to occupy the top post.

She is also the second woman to become the President.

Murmu may wear a traditional Santali saree when she takes the oath of office in Delhi on Monday.

Her sister-in-law Sukri Tudu is travelling to Delhi with a special saree used by Santal women in Eastern India.

Sukri along with her husband Tarinisen Tudu on Saturday left for the national capital to witness the oath-taking ceremony to be held at the Parliament's central hall.

"I am carrying a Santali traditional saree for `Didi' (elder sister) and pray she will wear it during the oath-taking. I am not sure what she will actually wear on the occasion. The Rashtrapati Bhawan will decide the dress of the new president," Sukri said.

The Santali sarees have some stripe work on one end and is worn by the Santal women on special occasions.

The saree is vertically symmetric and has both the ends designed with the same motifs.

Sukri, who along with her husband and family members, live in Uparbeda village near Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, said she is also carrying traditional sweet pancakes, also called 'Arisa Pitha' for Murmu.

Meanwhile, Murmu's daughter Itishree, a bank officer and her husband Ganesh Hembram, have reached New Delhi and are staying with the President-elect.

"Only four members of the President-elect's family - brother, sister-in-law, daughter and son-in-law - will attend the oath-taking ceremony," said a senior BJP leader adding that the essence of 'Adivasi' culture and tradition could be reflected in the swearing-in of the country's 15th President.

BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday left on a four-day tour to the national capital during which he is scheduled to attend Murmu's swearing-in ceremony.

Apart from six BJP MLAs from the Mayurbhanj district, three members of the Ishwariya Prajapati Brahmakumari's Rairangpur branch- Brahma Kumari Supriya, Brahma Kumari Basanti and Brahma Kumar Govind, have also reached New Delhi and met Murmu during the day, sources said.

Meanwhile, Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bisweswar Tudu, party MPs Suresh Pujari, Basant Panda, Sangeeta kumara Singhdeo and her husband KV Singhdeo, met Murmu in New Delhi.

They are expected to be present at the ceremony.

Coming from a humble tribal family of Uparbeda village near Rairangpur, 64-year-old Murmu has come a long way from a councillor to an MLA, a minister and Jharkhand Governor to being elected President of India.

There were celebrations everywhere in the state as 'ladoos' (sweetmeats) were distributed even on Saturday at the Bhubaneswar railway station.

NEW DELHI: President-elect Droupadi Murmu will take oath of office of the highest constitutional post of the country on Monday followed by a 21-gun salute. The Union Home Ministry said the ceremony will be held at the central hall of Parliament at 10.15 AM on Monday where Chief Justice of India N V Ramana will administer the oath of the office of the President to her. The President-elect will take the oath of office followed by a 21-gun salute, the home ministry said. The President will then deliver an address. Before the ceremony, the outgoing President and the President-elect will arrive in Parliament in a ceremonial procession. Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha 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, Members of Parliament and principal civil and military officers of the government will attend the ceremony. On the conclusion of the ceremony in the central hall of the Parliament, the President will leave for Rashtrapati Bhavan where an inter-services guard of honour will be given to her in the forecourt and courtesies will be extended to the outgoing President. Murmu, 64, scripted history on Thursday after defeating Opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha in an one-sided contest. She would become India's first tribal President. Murmu won the election by an overwhelming margin against Sinha after receiving over 64 per cent valid votes of MPs and MLAs, comprising the electoral college, to succeed Ram Nath Kovind to become the country's 15th president. Murmu got 6,76,803 votes against Sinha's 3,80,177 votes. She will be the first President to be born after independence and is the youngest to occupy the top post. She is also the second woman to become the President. Murmu may wear a traditional Santali saree when she takes the oath of office in Delhi on Monday. Her sister-in-law Sukri Tudu is travelling to Delhi with a special saree used by Santal women in Eastern India. Sukri along with her husband Tarinisen Tudu on Saturday left for the national capital to witness the oath-taking ceremony to be held at the Parliament's central hall. "I am carrying a Santali traditional saree for `Didi' (elder sister) and pray she will wear it during the oath-taking. I am not sure what she will actually wear on the occasion. The Rashtrapati Bhawan will decide the dress of the new president," Sukri said. The Santali sarees have some stripe work on one end and is worn by the Santal women on special occasions. The saree is vertically symmetric and has both the ends designed with the same motifs. Sukri, who along with her husband and family members, live in Uparbeda village near Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, said she is also carrying traditional sweet pancakes, also called 'Arisa Pitha' for Murmu. Meanwhile, Murmu's daughter Itishree, a bank officer and her husband Ganesh Hembram, have reached New Delhi and are staying with the President-elect. "Only four members of the President-elect's family - brother, sister-in-law, daughter and son-in-law - will attend the oath-taking ceremony," said a senior BJP leader adding that the essence of 'Adivasi' culture and tradition could be reflected in the swearing-in of the country's 15th President. BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday left on a four-day tour to the national capital during which he is scheduled to attend Murmu's swearing-in ceremony. Apart from six BJP MLAs from the Mayurbhanj district, three members of the Ishwariya Prajapati Brahmakumari's Rairangpur branch- Brahma Kumari Supriya, Brahma Kumari Basanti and Brahma Kumar Govind, have also reached New Delhi and met Murmu during the day, sources said. Meanwhile, Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bisweswar Tudu, party MPs Suresh Pujari, Basant Panda, Sangeeta kumara Singhdeo and her husband KV Singhdeo, met Murmu in New Delhi. They are expected to be present at the ceremony. Coming from a humble tribal family of Uparbeda village near Rairangpur, 64-year-old Murmu has come a long way from a councillor to an MLA, a minister and Jharkhand Governor to being elected President of India. There were celebrations everywhere in the state as 'ladoos' (sweetmeats) were distributed even on Saturday at the Bhubaneswar railway station.