Ram Nath Kovind: Former President of India

Ram Nath Kovind (born October 1, 1945) is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022. He holds the distinction of being the first President from the state of Uttar Pradesh and the first leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to assume the country’s highest constitutional office. Before his presidency, he was the Governor of Bihar between 2015 and 2017, and served as a Member of the Rajya Sabha from 1994 to 2006. Prior to his political career, Kovind practiced law for 16 years at the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India, up until 1993.

Early Life and Background

Ram Nath Kovind was born into a humble Koli family on October 1, 1945, in Paraunkh village, located in the Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh during British rule. He was the youngest among five brothers and two sisters. His father, Maiku Lal, managed a small shop, worked as a farmer, and was also a local Ayurvedic practitioner (vaidya). His mother, Kalawati, was a homemaker.

Kovind spent his early years in a modest mud house, which later collapsed. At the age of five, he suffered a personal tragedy when his mother passed away due to burns after their thatched house caught fire. Later in life, he donated the land where his house once stood to the local community.

Education

For his early schooling, Kovind had to walk 8 kilometers daily to a nearby village named Kanpur, as no one in his village owned a bicycle. He pursued higher education at DAV College, affiliated with Kanpur University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce and subsequently completed his law degree (LLB).

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