Books showcasing rare pictures of Ram Nath Kovind, former presidents released

Amid Droupadi Murmu's swearing-in as the 15th president of India, a book highlighting some of the rarest photographs of Ex-President Ram Nath Kovind and other former presidents of the country was released at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 24, news agency PTI reported.
The three books were released by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur and the function was attended by Ram Nath Kovind, Droupadi Murmu, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others.
‘Moods, Moments and Memories…’ includes a visual history of former presidents of India from 1950-2017, and ‘The First Citizen’ has a pictorial record of President Kovind’s term. The third book ‘Interpreting Geometries – Flooring of Rashtrapati Bhavan', is a unique repository of flooring patterns designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for the abode of the Viceroy of India in 1912.
President Kovind, in his efforts to further open up the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the people of India, wishes to share the visual history of the Rashtrapati Bhavan with them and the publication ‘Moods, Moments and Memories…’ is a part of that mission, he said.
“The photo archive offers such glimpses of the former presidents that make them more human, and enrich their portrayal in the nation’s collective memory; These are chapters in a pictorial history, capturing myriad moods, moments, and memories of the presidency,” reads the introduction of the book.
“When we think of past presidents, images that come to mind are from ceremonial functions. That is of course the most important facet of their role, but there are bound to be other facets – for example, spending quality time with family, playing golf, or reading in the library.
“Thus came the idea of exploring the less formal aspects of our former presidents,” said Delhi-based journalist Ashish Upendra Mehta, who did research and photo selection for both the books.
Meanwhile, one of the pictures in the book shows R Venkataraman (who was president from 1987-92), joining a dance with tribals in Madhya Pradesh’s Kanha on November 13, 1987. A picture of former President Pratibha Patil (2007-2012) preparing for a sortie on a Su-30 aircraft at the Air Force School, Pune, on November 25, 2009 is also in this collection. Another picture shows Kovind bowing and touching the soil to pay obeisance to the land of his birth on arrival at Paraunkh village, Kanpur Dehat, Uttar Pradesh on June 27, 2021.