Her becoming President was the achievement of every poor person in India, she said

"My election is proof of the fact that the poor in India can have dreams and fulfil them too", Droupadi Murmu said in her first address after taking assuming office as the 15th President of India on Monday.

Murmu is the second woman President of the country, the first-ever tribal woman to hold the highest Constitutional post and the first President to be born in independent India. She was sworn in by Chief Justice of India Justice PV Ramana at New Delhi's Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Beginning her first adress with the salutations "Johar! Namaskar!" she expressed her "heartfelt gratitude" to all Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies for electing her to the highest Constitutional post of India.

"This election of mine has blessings of the poor of the country. And it reflects the dreams and potential of crores of women and daughters of the country," she said.

President Murmu said it was a matter of great satisfaction for her that those who had been deprived for centuries and those who had been denied the benefits of development, the poor, downtrodden, backwards and tribals were seeing their reflection in her.

She also said it was a "great privilege" for her to be given the responsibility as India celebrated 75 years of independence.

She said, "We have to work at a fast pace in this Amritkal to fulfil the expectations that our freedom fighters had made from us citizens of independent India. In these 25 years, the path to the accomplishment of Amritkal will proceed on two tracks, Sabka Prayas aur Sabka Kartavya (everyone’s effort and everyone’s duty)."

Pointing out that she began life from a small tribal village in Odisha, she said she got the opportunity to rise from serving as a ward councillor to becoming the President of India.

"It is a tribute to the power of our democracy that a daughter born in a poor house in a remote tribal area can reach the highest constitutional position in India. That I attained the post of President is not my personal achievement, it is the achievement of every poor person in India," she noted.

President Murmu also sent out greetings on the eve of Kargil Vijay Diwas to the whole nation's people and the Indian Army. Additionally, she stated that the nation must step up its efforts to live up to the standards set by our freedom warriors for the people of an independent India.

President Murmu gave her word that she would put the needs of her countrymen first while serving in this capacity, especially the women and young people of India.
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