New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the autobiography of former President Ram Nath Kovind, titled ‘Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles’, on Wednesday.
The autobiography offers a deeply personal account of Ram Nath Kovind’s remarkable life journey, tracing his experiences, struggles and achievements from his early years to his distinguished public life and eventual service as the 14th President of India. The book also provides insights into the values, experiences and circumstances that shaped his journey and public service.
Addressing the gathering at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhavan, the Prime Minister said, “This feels like a family event. Today, we got an opportunity to get a glimpse of the life story of Ram Nath Kovind ji. I have known Kovind ji for a very long time. His guidance as President and above all his special affection for me has been a great source of strength for me.”
“From what I have understood of his life and the extent to which I have come to know his capabilities, I can confidently say that Kovind Ji’s autobiography will become a heritage for India’s democracy and society. His life journey, contributions to society and the country- there are several things that I can talk about; however, the launch event should be a curtain-raiser. You all should read the entire book to know what it was like,” PM Modi said.
“I urge the younger generation to learn about Ram Nath Kovind ji’s life journey in his own words and read about his writings and experiences,” he added.
Congratulating the former President for his book, the Prime Minister said, “The name of the autobiography is on point — Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles — this means that life and the struggles were personal; however, the result of these struggles was a win for India’s democracy and republic.”
He said that often people take credit for their successes and blame society for the difficulties in their lives, “but when a person has a generous heart and is guided by Indian values, they focus on the positive aspects of society and consider society an equal partner in their success. Kovind ji’s autobiography and its title are examples of this.”
PM Modi also recalled how Ram Nath Kovind’s mother struggled to keep the family afloat during hard times. Ram Nath Kovind lost his mother, Kalavati, around 1950 when he was just five years old, after she suffered fatal burns when their thatched house caught fire.
“To experience such an incident at such a young age, to lose someone, is so painful. I am fortunate that my mother lived for over 100 years and kept blessing me. Even today, I still miss her. It was a hard time for him (Kovind); anyone could have been crushed by it, but Kovind ji became stronger due to those struggles… His father’s role in his life increased; he considers his father as his hero,” the Prime Minister added.
He also recalled his meetings with Kovind during his tenure as the President.
“As Prime Minister, when I used to go to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, according to protocol, there were certain things that should not have been done, but he used to do them. He used to come right up to the door of the car to see off the Prime Minister. I used to request him in the beginning, ‘Please don’t do this.’ But until the end of his life, he never gave up that humility,” PM Modi said.
After becoming President, the Prime Minister mentioned that when Kovind went back to his village, he touched the feet of his mentors and paid his respects to them.
“Bowing to the soil of the village, he expressed his gratitude to the common people of the village. The entire country saw that emotional sight. Through this conduct, he presented such a picture of Indian values before the world that every Indian takes pride in,” he added.
Earlier, addressing the gathering, Kovind said, “Until today, I have addressed all of you on various occasions, but today’s occasion is different for me because the subject of today’s discussion is my own private life, the book ‘Times of the Indian Republic’, the release of my life and my struggles. On the occasion of its release, I express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for being part of this programme.”
Ram Nath Kovind was born in a Koli family on October 1, 1945, in Paraunkh village in the Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh.
He served as the President of India from 2017 to 2022. He was the first person from Uttar Pradesh, as well as the first person from the BJP, to hold the top Constitutional post in the country.
Prior to his presidency, he served as the Governor of Bihar from 2015 to 2017 and as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh for two successive terms.
(IANS)
