Ram Nath Kovind's Speech After Winning The 2017 Presidential Election



Speaking after his victory, President-elect Ram Nath Kovind said, "Me being elected President is a message for a person who has walked on an honest path. Thoughts of serving my nation have brought me this far". He went on to say that "My job will be to uphold and protect the Constitution of India".



"I salute all the people of India," Mr Kovind said as he narrated that "I never thought that I will become president one day. It was never my goal. But for the country, for society, my hard work has brought me till here".



"I congratulate and thank opposition candidate Meira Kumar," he said. Speaking about his responsibility as India's first citizen, Mr Kovind said, "It is a great responsibility to be elected to the post that has been graced by great men like Dr Rajendraprasad, Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and Shri Pranab Mukherjee".



On his victory, he said "Personally this a emotional moment for me."



Speaking about his humble background as a farmer's son, Mr Kovind said, "It has been raining in Delhi since the morning. Rains remind me of my village, of our kachcha home with walls of mud and a roof that could not repel water during the monsoon. My siblings and I used to stand and wait for the rains to end. Today there are many Ram Nath Kovinds who are getting wet in the rain, working hard, toiling in the fields for one square meal in the evening. Today I want to tell them that I will be their representative in the Rashtrapati Bhavan."



