KoviNd is a sPirituaLLy iNcLiNed, simPLe maN
Kovind was BJP’s national spokesperson. But was media shy and addressed only three press conferences during his tenure.
think he would get this kind of honour.” Bhushan is also a close associate of KaushalJi Maharaj.
Kovind, 71, was born in Derapur, Kanpur Dehat, on 1 October 1945. He graduated in law from DAV, Kanpur. He cleared the prestigious UPSC examination in his third attempt. He, however, did not join the services as he was getting the Allied services.
Kovind joined the BJP in 1991 and was president of the Dalit Morcha from 19982002 and of the All India Koli Samaj. He donated his ancestral home to the RSS. Though he contested the Assembly elections twice from Ghatampur and Bhognipur, he could not win. He served three terms as the SC Morcha head of the BJP. He was also a Rajya Sabha member from 1994 to 2006.
Kovind is also a regular visitor to the Haridwar-based “Divya Prem Sewa Mission”, which serves people suffering from leprosy. The Mission was started in 1997 by Ashish Gautam, an RSS pracharak, and works exclusively for leprosy patients. The Mission, inspired by Swami Vivekananda, works on the Hindu ideals of “sewa, sadhna and sambodhi (service, dedication and knowledge)”.
Recalling his association with Kovind, Bhushan, who is also vice-president of the Mission, said Kovind has been mentoring the organisation for a long time. “He donated Rs 25 lakh from his MP fund for the welfare of lepers,” he said.
Kovind also served the party as its national spokesperson. According to a BJP leader, he was a media shy person and addressed only three press conferences while he was the spokesperson. He was definitely not a favourite of media persons who thronged the BJP office for information, quotes or sound-bites, he said.
“He used to remain sahaj (cool), but would do very nicely, with full responsibility, every work given to him by the party,” said Chandrakant, a senior BJP leader of UP. “Despite being older, he would interact with us at the party’s office in Lucknow with great atmiyata and never threw tantrums,” he added.
A Supreme Court lawyer, Kovind has been the Central government’s Chief Standing Counsel for several years. He is also a part of a group of lawyers who take up cases of those who cannot afford top lawyers of the Supreme Court. As a member of the National Scheduled Caste commission, Kovind visited different parts of the country, meeting Dalit organisations and listening to their problems.
It was a big embarrassment for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tej Pratap Yadav, whom Kovind asked to correct his pronunciation while administering him the oath of office in Bihar.
“He is quite simple and a non-controversial person. He also has a good understanding of the Constitution, which will be a great asset while discharging his duties as the President of India,” said another BJP leader. As a Parliamentarian, he visited several countries like Thailand, Nepal, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, France, UK and US.