Pranab Mukherjee sworn in as 13th president of India

New Delhi. Pranab Mukherjee was on Wednesday sworn in as the country’s 13th President at an impressive ceremony in the packed and historic Central Hall of Parliament.
Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia administered the oath of office to Mr Mukherjee in the presence of Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers, Governors and a host of dignitaries.
Mr Mukherjee was then given a 21-gun salute after which he signed the oath register amid a thunderous applause and thumping of desks.
Making a brief acceptance speech after being sworn-in as President in the Central Hall of Parliament, he termed corruption as an “evil” and said the greed of a few cannot be allowed to hijack the progress of the nation.
“The principal responsibility of this office is to function as the guardian of our Constitution. I will strive, as I said on oath, to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution not just in word but also in spirit,” Mukherjee said in his acceptance speech after he assumed the highest constitutional post at an impressive ceremony.
His speech was punctuated by repeated thumping of desks and applause.
“I am deeply moved by the high honour you have accorded to me. Such honour exalts the occupant of this office, even as it demands that he rises above personal or partisan interests in the service of the national good,” he said.
Earlier Mr Mukherjee paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi and other great leaders of the nation at their memorials in New Delhi before heading to Rashtrapati Bhawan to take oath as the 13th President of India.