NEW DELHI: Soon after his thumping win, President-elect Ram Nath Kovind, the next occupant of the 2,00,000-sq ft sprawling Rashtrapati Bhavan with 340 rooms, recalled the thatched house in his native Kanpur Dehat where he spent his childhood.

The early morning rain in New Delhi — hours before the votes cast in the presidential polls were taken up for counting — reminded him of his childhood travails: how he used to wait with his siblings for the rains to stop as the roof of their house leaked badly.

Share your greetings for President-elect Kovind

“It is an emotional moment for me. Today it’s raining in Delhi since morning. The rain reminds me of my childhood days when I used to live in my native village,” said Kovind, adding, “Ghar kachcha tha, mitti ki diwar thi, baarish ke samay phoos ki chhat paani rok nahi pati thi. Ham sab bhai, behan, kamare ke baahar khade hokar intezar karte the ki baarish kab khatam hogi” (We had a thatched house, the walls were made of mud. The roof leaked and we used to wait for the rain to stop).”

Kovind likened his ascension to the elevation of the poor and farmers across the country and assured them that he would be their representative on Raisina Hill.

Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik makes a sand art to congratulate Kovind, at Puri beach in Odisha. (PTI Photo)

Election as President of India reminds me of a great responsibility as the post was earlier held by great scholars like Rajendra Prasad, S Radhakrishnan, A P J Abdul Kalam and Pranab Mukherjee,” said Kovind at his temporary residence at 10, Akbar Road, a little after returning officer Anoop Mishra handed him his election certificate.

He said there would be many people busy in farms or working as labourers in the rain or sweating it out for a bare minimum living. “I am going to the Rashtrapati Bhavan as their representative.” Kovind hails from Jhinjhak village in Kanpur Dehat district where he spent his childhood and later shifted to Kanyanpur colony in Kanpur city, his address till date.

He said his election is a message to all those who fulfil their responsibilities with honesty.

“I had neither thought nor desired to be elected to this post, but I have reached here for my society and the country with sheer hard work,” said Kovind as he concluded his speech with a Sanskrit shloka — “Sarve Bhavanti Sukhina, Sarve Bhavantu Noramaya (let all be happy and healthy)”.