KANPUR: In a rare emotional gesture, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday bowed to touch the ground after landing at the helipad near his native village, Paraunkh, to pay obeisance to the land of his birth.
He was accompanied by his wife Savita and daughter Swati.
While interacting with residents of Paraunkh, a hamlet in Kanpur Dehat district, the President recalled his humble beginnings, saying his village was his motherland which catapulted him to the august office of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
“Paraunkh’s inspiration has taken me from High Court to Supreme Court to Rajya Sabha to Rashtrapati Bhawan,” he said.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Governor Anandiben Patel & CM Yogi Adityanath in Paraunkh on SundaySpeaking on the occasion, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, “The President has donated his lifetime earnings for constructing the Veerangana Jhalkari Bai Inter College and this helped Paraunkh to make its mark.
I also visited the Pathri Devi temple, where the President’s father contributed to its construction.” The CM then announced setting up of a medical college in Kanpur Dehat.
Speaking on the occasion, the President praised the culture of ‘matri devo bhava’ (mother is God), ‘pitru devo bhava’ (father is God) and ‘acharya devo bhava` (teacher is God).
“It’s a tradition in my family to provide status of mother to the oldest woman in the village and father to the elderly men, irrespective of caste, class or sect.
Today, I am happy to see this tradition is intact,” he said.
“I am happier than you to come to Paraunkh.
I never imagined that a boy like me would get the privilege to serve the position of President, but the credit goes to our democratic set-up, my village and your love and blessings.
I bow to freedom fighters and the drafting committee of Constitution for their sacrifice and contribution.
UP has given many Prime Ministers, but now the path is open for people from UP to become President after me,” he said.
Walking down memory lane, he was ecstatic to witness concrete houses in his village and the rohaniya ‘bazar.
He also recalled his classmates, Jaswant Singh, Vijaypal Singh, Hariram, Chandrabhan Singh Bhadauria, Rajaram and Dashrath Singh.
The President said, he studied with them and shared dreams together.
“My friends and classmates have a special place in my life,” he said.
The President also paid tributes to Ambedkar and visited Milan Kendra and Veerangana Jhalkari Bai Inter College and urged people to take vaccines, which is a shield from coronavirus.
He also promised to arrange a visit of the people of Paraunkh to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, “I congratulate the President on his first arrival to his village.
It is an ancient tradition that there’s no alternative to ‘janani’ and ‘janmabhoomi’.
I have come to Paraunkh for the first time and the memories of the President are attached here.”