New Delhi, July 22: Pranab Mukherjee will be sworn in as the 13th President of the country on July 25. Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia will administer the oath to Mukherjee at a ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament House at 1100 hrs on Wednesday.
Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Mukherjee will go to Rashtrapati Bhawan where he will be received at the forecourts by outgoing President Pratibha Patil.
Mukherjee will then escort Patil to her temporary accommodation in Tughlak Lane where she will stay till her post-retirement home in Pune is ready. Patil will deliver a farewell speech in the Central Hall tomorrow evening.
Returning Officer to the Presidential election and Rajya Sabha Secretary General V K Agnihotri will send a copy of the result and the victory certificate to the Law Ministry to enable the government initiate the process of installing the new President.
A similar copy will be sent to the Election Commission.
Unlucky ’13’ is lucky for Pranab
New Delhi, July 22: The number 13, normally considered an unlucky number, is a lucky number for Pranab Mukherjee, India’s 13th President.
Following are a few facts:
# Pranab Mukherjee lives at 13, Talkatora Road in New Delhi and is expected to be the 13th President of India.
# Pranab married Shuvra Mukherjee on July 13, 1957, and has two sons and a daughter.
# Pranab was elected to 14th Lok Sabha on 13th May, 2004.
# Mukherjee’s name came up as the UPA’s Presidential candidate and was revealed for the first time on Wednesday, June 13.
# The addition of first two digits of the age of 76-year-old veteran Congress leader also totals up to number 13.
# When asked about this figure playing a key role in his life, he said “I don’t have any superstition. I don’t believe in that. 13 is a lucky number. 13 means pure.13 (tera) is God.”
# Mukherjee recalled that when he moved into the current Talkatora Road bunglow as a Member of Parliament, he was cautioned by many that the number 13 means unlucky.
# But it did not happen, and Mukherjee all through held key positions of power and is now India’s 13th President.