By IANS,
New Delhi : Pranab Mukherjee’s family is planning to celebrate his ascendancy as president of India on July 25 after he formally assumes office, his daughter Sharmistha said Sunday.
Asked by news channel NDTV on when they planned to celebrate his becoming president, Sharmistha, a well-known kathak dancer, said: “I think the celebrations will be postponed to 25th July. Once he assumes office formally we would definitely celebrate.. with a large family gathering, and that would be the real time for celebration,” she said, adding that the past few weeks “were really crazy for him”.
Asked if Mukherjee would continue to conduct Durga puja after becoming president, or whether they would shift the puja to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sharmistha said, “Not at all, he is going to be a president of secular India.”
She added that the puja would continue to be held in the Mukherjee ancestral home in Mirati village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
Asked if Mukherjee’s wife Suvra would play an active role as first lady, Sharmistha said her mother was not keeping well and may not play an active role as the president’s wife.
“My mother is not well, she is not keeping well since last many years.. I really don’t know how much active role she will play because of the health. I don’t think her health condition will permit her, in discharging certain duties… which otherwise she would have gladly done.”