New Delhi: Rashtrapati Bhawan will now host 200 public visitors every Saturday at its forecourt for witnessing the ceremonial 'Change of Guard' conducted in precision by smartly dressed Armymen and caparisoned horses. The ceremony which entails a series of military traditions, from bugles and bands to the horse-riding President's Body Guards (PBG), will have a new look as the drill will be conducted in the backdrop of the majestic dome of the Presidential House, from the earlier North Block.
"We have decided to lift all restrictions with regard to the change of guard ceremony and about 200 people will be able to enter the forecourt lawns of the Rashtrapati Bhawan every Saturday. The changes have been made on the instructions of President Pranab Mukherjee who is very particular about the fact that this place should be open and accessible to the common man," the President's Press Secretary Venu Rajamony told reporters during a preview drill on Saturday. During winters, the ceremony will start at 10am every Saturday, he said.
Lasting about 30 minutes, visitors can witness PBGs emerging from behind the tall Jaipur column amid the brass band notes of AR Rahman composed 'Maa Tujhe Salaam'. The brass band will also play some of the best known patriotic songs like 'Sare Jahan Se Achcha' with interludes of military tunes and the 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' lalkaar (war cry) made by the troops....
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01:56 PM, Dec 08, 2012
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma's petition challenging Pranab Mukherjee's election as the President of India. The apex court said that Sangma's petition was not maintainable. The Supreme Court had on November 21 reserved its verdict for December 5 as to whether the plea of Sangma deserves a "regular hearing" or not. "Arguments concluded. We shall pass the order on December 5,"...
10:59 AM, Dec 05, 2012
Mumbai: The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks convict Ajmal Kasab has sent his mercy petition to President Pranab Mukherjee. Kasab's mercy plea has been filed through the Arthur road jailor to the President's office. Kasab has been sentenced to death in the 26/11 case. If executed, Kasab will be the 52nd person to be hanged in India since independence. Kasab has ahead of him people like Mohammed Afzal Guru, the terrorist...
01:06 PM, Sep 18, 2012
New Delhi: After the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab, the big question remains whether his execution will be delayed just like that of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Afzal Guru's death sentence was upheld by the apex court for carrying out the Parliament attack in 2001, but he continues to live as his mercy plea lies pending with the President. Guru applied for mercy...
08:19 AM, Aug 30, 2012
Mohammad Hamid Ansari was born in Calcutta (now renamed Kolkata) on April 1, 1937, though his family hailed from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh. The grand nephew of former Congress President Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, a leader of the Indian independence movement, Ansari studied at Shimla's St. Edwards High School and St. Xavier's College of the University of Calcutta. A two-doctorate degree holder, he joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1961. He...
11:24 AM, Aug 08, 2012
Pranab Mukherjee was sworn in as the 13th President of India in the Central Hall of Parliament. ...
03:22 PM, Jul 25, 2012
Bangalore: With Pranab Mukherjee, the first Bengali to adorn the exalted seat of the Indian President, the Bengali community in Bangalore is happy as well as proud. It is a special moment not only for Bengalis in Kolkata, but also the five lakh-plus strong Bengali population in the city. It is the first time in 65 years after independence that a Bengali is going to be the occupant of Raisina...
12:59 PM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: Pranab Mukherjee was sworn in as the 13th President of India on Wednesday. The 76-year-old is the first President from West Bengal. Pranab has four decades of experience in the government. Pranab first became a minister in 1973. During his political career he has been the Minister of External Affairs, Defence Minister and Finance Minister. Pranab has been minister under every Congress Prime Minister in the last 40...
12:25 PM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: Pranab Mukherjee took over as the thirteenth President of India on 25th July 2012. In his first speech as the 13th President of India, Pranab Mukherjee vowed to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of India. Here's the full text of the speech: Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Shri Hamid Ansari, Smt. Meira Kumar, Shri Justice S.H. Kapadia, Members of Parliament, Your Excellencies, Friends and fellow citizens, I am...
12:00 PM, Jul 25, 2012
Celebrations have been on at Pranab Mukherjee's village in Birbhum. Speaking to CNN-IBN, his sister Annapurna Devi said that she wanted to attend the swearing in ceremony but because of her health she couldn't go. She, however, blessed Mukherjee and said she will visit Delhi for bhai dhooj. ...
11:12 AM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: He has walked the corridors of power for almost 40 years. It's a journey which has ensured that today Pranab Mukherjee has friends in every party and it's the one advantage which he is counting on as he prepares to become India's next President. "He represents unique repository of the history of our party who sees him as part of the landscape. He inspires like a teacher, friend,...
10:09 AM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: 11:40 am: In his first speech as the 13th President of India, Pranab Mukherjee vowed to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of India. "I will strive to preserve, protect and defend our constitution not just in words but also in spirit," said President Pranab Mukherjee. Talking of poverty in India, Pranab said, "Trickle down theories do not address legitimate aspirations of the poor. We must erase poverty...
09:15 AM, Jul 25, 2012
New Delhi: Pranab Mukherjee will be sworn in as the 13th President of India on Wednesday. He will take oath in the Central Hall of Parliament. But before that, he will pay respects at Rajghat, Shakti Sthal and Veer Bhumi. After that he will meet outgoing President Pratibha Patil, who will preside over her final guard of honour. Chief Justice of India SH Kapadia will administer the oath to Mukherjee...
07:15 AM, Jul 25, 2012
Pune: Even before the city was chosen by Pratibha Patil recently as her retirement destination, it seems to have been her preferred place for a visit during her five-year tenure as president of the country. A reply to an application filed by MiD DAY with the outgoing presidents secretariat under the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveals Patil made 13 visits to the city during her tenure. The information provided...
02:02 PM, Jul 24, 2012
New Delhi: India's President elect Pranab Mukherjee has given his first interview to CNN-IBN after winning the President poll. Speaking to CNN-IBN Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose, Pranab said he will study Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's clemency plea, but won't comment on it before that. "I can't comment on Afzal Guru until I have assumed office and gone through the issue," Pranab said. Pranab also said he was moved at...
01:15 PM, Jul 23, 2012
Mumbai: Less than 24 hours after Pranab Mukherjee was elected as the 13th President of India, parties that favoured him are already trying to extract their pound of flesh. Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, through party mouth piece 'Saamna', wants Pranab Mukherjee to begin his presidency by dealing with the long pending issue of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The editorial says the new President should immediately reject Afzal Guru's...
09:25 AM, Jul 23, 2012
New Delhi: Pranab Mukherjee won the Presidential election on Sunday, defeating PA Sangma by a huge margin. Pranab bagged 69 per cent of the votes, while Sangma got 31 per cent. Even as Pranab thanked the country and his supporters, Sangma sulked and went on to accuse the UPA of wooing states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with special financial packages to get votes. While the Congress and allies celebrated...
08:06 AM, Jul 23, 2012
Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has promised action against the MLAs who cross voted in the Presidential election. He said that a committee will be formed and appropriate action will be taken. The Presidential election came as an embarrassment for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka. Bitter rivalries and divisions within the state unit came to the fore in the Presidential election as 14 MLAs are said to...
08:06 AM, Jul 23, 2012
New Delhi: India will get its 14th President on Sunday. UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee is the overwhelming favourite to take over the post. Opposition sponsored PA Sangma is also in the fray but unlikely to give a tough fight to Mukherjee. Mukherjee will take over from Pratibha Patil, who took over as the President on July 25, 2007. Here is a list of the former presidents of India: Dr APJ...
11:31 AM, Jul 22, 2012
New Delhi: 7.24 pm: Rajya Sabha General Secretary presented the certificate to Pranab Mukherjee on winning the presidential elections. 6.48 pm: Pranab Mukherjee has officially been declared elected as the President of India with 3095 votes valued at 7, 13, 763. His opponent P A Sangma secured 1483 votes valued at 3, 15, 987. Mukherjee was declared the winner of the 14th presidential elections by returning officer V K Agnihotri....
11:08 AM, Jul 22, 2012
