Pranab Mukherjee takes oath as India's 13th President

Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia administered the oath of office to 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.

Pranab Mukherjee took oath as India's 13th President. File pic

Dressed in a black achkan (longcoat) and white churidar (trousers), Mukherjee took the oath of office in the name of God in English to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law".

Mukherjee was then given a 21-gun salute after which he signed the oath register amid a thunderous applause and thumping of desks.

The oath taking ceremony began with the arrival of outgoing President Pratibha Patil and President-elect Mukherjee in a procession from the Rashtrapati Bhawan to the Parliament Building.

They were greeted by Kapadia, Ansari and Kumar who escorted them to the Central Hall.

After the short ceremony, Mukherjee and Patil were escorted out of the Central Hall amid the roll of drums and blowing of trumpets.
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