By IANS
New Delhi : Pratibha Patil, elected Saturday as the first woman president of India, said hers was a "victory of principles the people in the country have upheld."
"It is the victory of principles the people of this country have upheld," Patil told reporters in English immediately after she was declared as the winner in the July 19 presidential election.
Patil, clad in red-bordered yellow silk saree with her head covered in traditional style, thanked the people of the country.
"I thank every one. I am grateful to men and women of the country," she said. She was accompanied by senior Congress party leaders Motilal Vora, Janardhan Dwivedi and Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, the information and broadcasting minister.
She earlier said in Hindi that her victory was a "victory of right thinking".
Congratulatory messages poured in even as Congress leaders arrived with bouquets and jubilant party supporters dancing on the street in front of her 11, South Avenue residence here.
Patil, 72 will be taking oath as president on July 25.