Mr
Ramnath Kovind
has taken over as 14th President of India and was
administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India Justice JS Khehar at
a special function in the Central hall of Parliament on 25-07-2017.
Profile of President Shri Ram Nath
Kovind
A
lawyer, veteran political representative and long-time advocate of
egalitarianism and integrity in
Indian
public life and society, Shri Ram Nath Kovind was born on October 1, 1945, in
Paraunkh, near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His parents were Shri Maiku Lal and Smt
Kalawati.
Before
assuming charge of the office of the 14th President of India on July 25, 2017,
Shri Kovind served as the 36th Governor of the state of Bihar from August 16,
2015, to June 20, 2017.
Educational and Professional
Background
Shri
Kovind completed his school education in Kanpur and obtained the degrees of
B.Com and L.L.B. from Kanpur University. In 1971, he enrolled as an Advocate with
the Bar Council of Delhi.
Shri Kovind was Union Government Advocate in the Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979 and Union Government Standing Counsel in the Supreme Court from 1980 to 1993. He became Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court of India in 1978. He practised at the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court for 16 years till 1993.
Shri Kovind was Union Government Advocate in the Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979 and Union Government Standing Counsel in the Supreme Court from 1980 to 1993. He became Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court of India in 1978. He practised at the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court for 16 years till 1993.
Parliamentary and Public Life
Shri
Kovind was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in April
1994. He served for two consecutive terms of six years each till March 2006.
Shri Kovind served on various Parliamentary Committees like Parliamentary Committee
on Welfare of Scheduled Castes/Tribes; Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs;
Parliamentary Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas; Parliamentary Committee
on Social Justice and Empowerment; and Parliamentary Committee on Law and
Justice. He was Chairman of the Rajya Sabha House Committee.
Shri
Kovind also served as Member of the Board of Management of the Dr B.R Ambedkar
University, Lucknow, and Member of the Board of Governors of the Indian
Institute of Management, Kolkata. He was part of the Indian delegation at the
United Nations and addressed the United Nations General Assembly in October
2002.
Positions Held
- 2015-17: Governor of Bihar
- 1994-2006: Member of the Rajya Sabha, representing the state of Uttar Pradesh
- 1971-75 and 1981: General Secretary, Akhil Bharatiya Koli Samaj
- 1977-79: Union Government Advocate at the Delhi High Court
- 1982-84: Union Government Junior Counsel in the Supreme Court
Personal Details
Shri
Kovind married Smt Savita Kovind on May 30, 1974. They have a son, Shri
Prashant Kumar, and a daughter, Miss Swati. An avid reader, the President has
keen interest in reading books on politics and social change, law and history,
and religion.
During
his long public career, Shri Kovind has travelled widely across the country. He
has also visited Thailand, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland,
France, the United Kingdom and the United States in his capacity as a Member of
Parliament.
