New Delhi: Over 8,000 guests, including VVIPs, will be in attendance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath along with a new council of ministers on Thursday for a second term at a glittering ceremony.
The swearing-in ceremony will be of about 90 minutes and will be held at the forecourt of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan which is generally used for according ceremonial reception to visiting heads of state. This would be the fourth time a Prime Minister would take oath at the forecourt instead of the Durbar Hall, which can only accommodate a far smaller gathering of about 500.
"This is for the first time that 8,000 guests will be attending the swearing-in ceremony that will be held from 7 pm to 8.30 pm on Thursday," Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Ashok Malik said on May 28.
President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the prime minister and other members of the Union Council of Ministers.
International Attendees in 2019
Leaders of all BIMSTEC countries have confirmed their participation in the Prime Minister's swearing-in ceremony. President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister of Nepal K P Sharma Oli, President of Myanmar U Win Myint, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, and Thailand's Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach will be in attendance. Besides BIMSTEC, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov will also attend the ceremony.
National Attendees in 2019
All prominent opposition leaders, chief ministers and governors have been invited for the swearing-in ceremony. Among the prominent names expected are UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and Andhra Pradesh CM-designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
NDA leaders in the likes of JD(U) President Nitish Kumar, former Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami, and NPP’s Conrad Sangma.
Besides politicians, several film stars, including Kangana Ranaut, Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Bhansali, Karan Johar and Rajinikanth, have also been invited.
Industry bigwigs such as Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani and Ratan Tata have also been invited for the event.
Former sprinter P T Usha, cricketers Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Harbhajan Singh, badminton ace Saina Nehwal, badminton coach Pulella Gopichand and gymnast Dipa Karmakar are among the sports personalities invited to the ceremony.
International Attendees in 2014
The 2014 ceremony was the first swearing-in of an Indian Prime Minister where all SAARC heads were invited. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Bangladesh House speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile Lobsang Sangay, and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif were in attendance.
National Attendees in 2014
Outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Presidents APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress president Sonia Gandhi were among the Indian dignitaries who participated. Besides, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his entire cabinet had also attended the ceremony.
Celebrities who were invited to the event included Salman Khan, Dharmendra, Anupam Kher, Madhur Bhandarkar, Suresh Gopi, Vivek Oberoi, Lata Mangeshkar, Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan.
What's on the menu?
Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen's speciality 'Dal Raisina' will be served to foreign delegates in a dinner to be hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind to dignitaries after the function.
"Dal Raisina, a speciality of Rashtrapati Bhavan's kitchen, is cooked for about 48 hours. Its main ingredients are brought from Lucknow. The preparation of Dal Raisina started Tuesday," the spokesperson said.
There will be light snacks and tea for the guests attending the swearing-in ceremony like 'Paneer Tikka', the official said. The High Tea menu is expected to include lemon tarts, sandwiches, samosas and sweets like 'Rajbhog'.
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