Savita Kovind

Savita Kovind
Savita Kovind
	Kovind in 2018
First Lady of India
	In office; 25 July 2017 – 25 July 2022
President	Ram Nath Kovind
Preceded by	Suvra Mukherjee
Succeeded by	Vacant
First Lady of Bihar
	In office; 16 August 2015 – 20 June 2017
Governor	Ram Nath Kovind
Preceded by	Sudha Tripathi
Succeeded by	Sudha Tripathi
Personal details
Born	15 April 1952
Nationality	Indian
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Ram Nath Kovind (m. 1974)
Children	2
Residence(s)	12 Janpath, New Delhi, India
Occupation	Government worker

Savita Kovind (born 15 April 1952) is a former Indian government servant who served as the former First Lady of India from 2017 - 2022. She is the wife of the 14th President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. She was Chief Section Supervisor in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited before retiring in 2005.

Early life

Savita Kovind was born on 15 April 1952.[1] Her parents originally lived near Lahore in present-day Pakistan and moved to India post-partition and settled in Lajpat Nagar in Delhi. She is a former employee in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL). She started her career in MTNL as a telephone operator. Gradually she got promoted to the post of Chief Section Supervisor. But in 2005, she took voluntary retirement.[2]

Personal life

Savita Devi married Ram Nath Kovind on 30 May 1974. They have two children, son Prashant Kumar Kovind and daughter Swati Kovind, as well as grandchildren. Her daughter Swati is a former air hostess employed in Air India.[2]

First Lady of Bihar (2015–2017)

Savita Devi served as the First Lady of Bihar from 16 August 2015 to 20 June 2017 during Ramnath Kovind's Governorship. First Lady of Bihar isn't an official post rather it is a role to be served. She was succeeded by her predecessor Sudha Tripathi after her husband's elevation to the Presidency assuming the role of First Lady of India.

First Lady of India (2017–2022)

Kovind with her husband (center) Ziroatkhon Hoshimova (far-left), Shavkat Mirziyoyev (center-left), Ram Nath Kovind, and Narendra Modi (far-right)

First Lady Kovind with President Ram Nath Kovind host a state dinner for Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Kovind assumed the role of First Lady of India on 25 July 2017 after nearly 2 years of vacancy since the former first lady died in office. India's first spouses act as the official hosts of Rashtrapati Bhavan.[3]

Savita Kovind with her spouse Ram Nath Kovind

Covid-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic in India, Kovind stitched face masks to be distributed at numerous shelter homes in New Delhi, in order to promote mask usage.[4] She also helped prepare meals to be sent to the traditional community kitchen of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj.[5]

State visits

She accompanied the president on various state visits.

References

"രാജ്യത്തിനായി മാസ്ക് തുന്നി പ്രഥമ വനിത; രാഷ്ട്രപതി ഭവനും പ്രതിരോധം തുന്നുമ്പോൾ" [First lady sews mask for country; When the Rashtrapati Bhavan also puts up a defense]. Manora (in Malayalam). 24 April 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
"जानिए, क्या काम करते हैं रामनाथ कोविंद के बेटे और बहू". hindi.oneindia.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 3 September 2017.
"Savita Kovind enters Rashtrapati Bhavan, but India's First Ladies are yet to make a mark". The Indian Express. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
"First Lady Savita Kovind stitches face masks for Delhi shelter homes. Viral photo". India Today. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
Hebbar, Nistula (24 July 2020). "President's response to pandemic in his own style". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 June 2023.