A series of farewell functions is lined up for the outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee. In a rare gesture Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 22 is hosting a farewell dinner in honour of the 13th President of India in prestigious Hyderabad House of the Lutyen's Delhi.
The President elect Ramnath Kovind along with Council of Ministers would be present on that dinner. Prime Minister is expected to give a farewell speech there. A special menu has been ordered for the outgoing President.
President Mukherjee will also hold a banquet on July 24 in honour of the Council of Ministers in the Banquet Hall of the President house. On the same evening, outgoing President will address the nation on the national television, which would be telecast in both English and Hindi. All the regional channels would telecast the address in their respective languages.
On July 23, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan is hosting a farewell function in the central hall of the Parliament. In that function Union minister of State Babul Supriyo has been asked to perform a Tagore Song: Ekla Chalo Re....The Speaker is hosting a tea party in honour of the outgoing President.
In all the functions, President elect Ramnath Kovind has also been invited. On July 25, new President Kovind would be sworn in as the 14th President of the country in Darbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan where two separate chairs will be kept side by side. The moment new President is sworn in, the out-going President Mukherjee would leave his chair for the incoming President.
After that, new President will come to the Central Hall of the Parliament and give his acceptance speech. When the function is over, the outgoing President would be sent off to his new residence 10 Rajaji Marg.