Draupadi Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of India
on Monday, followed by a 21-gun salute. The ceremony was held at 10.15am on
Monday in the Central Hall of Parliament where Chief Justice of India NV Ramana
administered the presidential oath.
Murmu, 64, created history on Thursday after defeating
opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in a one-sided contest. He was the first
tribal president of India and the first president born after independence. She
is also the youngest to hold such a high position and the second woman to
become president.
In his first speech after being sworn in as the President of
India, Murmu said that the deprived, poor, Dalit and tribal people of the
country would see their reflection in him, which he added was a great
satisfaction for him. He also paid tribute to India's freedom fighters and said
the country should immediately act on the twin lines of 'sabka prayas'
(everyone's effort) and 'sabka kartavya (everyone's duty) to fulfill its
aspirations.
Here are the top quotes from her speech:
# I humbly greet all the fellow citizens from this
sacred Parliament, a symbol of the hopes, aspirations, and rights of all the
citizens of India. Your affection, trust, and support will be my greatest
strength in discharging my functions and responsibilities.
# My election is proof of the fact that in India, the
poor can dream and also fulfil those dreams.
# It is the power of India's democracy that a girl born
in a poor tribal home could reach the topmost constitutional post.
# Satisfying to me that the people who were devoid of
development for years -the poor, Dalits, backward, the tribals - can see me as
their reflection. My nomination has blessings of the poor behind it, it's a
reflection of the dreams and capabilities of crores of women.
# I am the first President of the country who was born
in independent India. We will have to speed up our efforts to meet the
expectations that our freedom fighters had with the citizens of independent
India.
# I started my life journey from a small tribal village
in Odisha. From the background I came from, it was like a dream for me to get
elementary education. But despite many obstacles, my resolved remained strong
and I became the first daughter of my village to go to college. I belong to the
tribal society, and I have got the opportunity to become the President from the
Ward Councillor. This is the greatness of India, the mother of democracy.