Prime Minister Narendra Modi released former President Ram Nath Kovind’s autobiography, Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles, at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on 12 August 2026. The book follows Kovind’s journey from his early years in Uttar Pradesh through legal practice, parliamentary service, the Bihar governorship and his term as India’s 14th President. Its release places a personal life story within the wider account of India’s democratic institutions.
What the Autobiography Covers
The autobiography presents a first-person account of Ram Nath Kovind’s early life, struggles, public career and service as President. It connects personal experiences with the values that shaped his approach to public service. The title draws a distinction between individual hardship and the larger democratic achievement made possible by the Republic’s constitutional system.
The book’s narrative moves from Kovind’s childhood in Paraunkh village in Uttar Pradesh to legal practice, the Rajya Sabha, the office of the Governor of Bihar and Rashtrapati Bhavan. It therefore brings together personal memory and institutional history. The account covers the legal, legislative and constitutional roles that defined his public life.
The launch took place at 9:30 a.m. on 12 August 2026. Prime Minister Modi addressed the gathering and presented the event as an introduction to the book, while urging readers to understand Kovind’s experiences through his own account.
Ram Nath Kovind’s Journey to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Ram Nath Kovind was born on 1 October 1945 in Paraunkh village of Kanpur Dehat district, Uttar Pradesh. He studied commerce and law in Kanpur before becoming a lawyer. He served as Central Government counsel in the Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979, became an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court in 1978 and later worked as standing counsel in the Supreme Court.
Kovind entered the Rajya Sabha in April 1994 as a representative of Uttar Pradesh and completed two terms until 2006. During his 12 years in Parliament, he served on committees dealing with the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Home Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Law and Justice. He also chaired the Rajya Sabha House Committee.
His next constitutional position was the governorship of Bihar. The official record of Bihar Lok Bhavan places his term from 16 August 2015 to 21 June 2017. He was elected President of India in July 2017 and served from 25 July 2017 to 25 July 2022.
| Stage of public life | Period or detail |
|---|---|
| Birth | 1 October 1945, Paraunkh, Kanpur Dehat, Uttar Pradesh |
| Central Government counsel, Delhi High Court | 1977 to 1979 |
| Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh | 1994 to 2006 |
| Governor of Bihar | 16 August 2015 to 21 June 2017 |
| 14th President of India | 25 July 2017 to 25 July 2022 |
Constitutional and Democratic Significance
The office described in the autobiography is the highest constitutional office in India. The President is the constitutional head of the Union, while the country follows a parliamentary system in which the Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, exercises executive authority. Under Article 74, the President acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, with the limited power to ask it to reconsider that advice once.
Kovind’s career illustrates how several constitutional and democratic institutions connect with one another. Legal practice gave him experience with the justice system, the Rajya Sabha exposed him to parliamentary committees and law-making, and the Bihar governorship placed him in a state constitutional office before he became President. His journey also brings a social dimension to the story of representation in the Republic.
The book is significant because it records public service from the viewpoint of a former head of state. It can help readers distinguish the personal role of a President from the broader functioning of the parliamentary system. It also preserves a contemporary account of the values, experiences and circumstances that shaped one of India’s constitutional officeholders.
Key Takeaways
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi released Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles on 12 August 2026 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
- The autobiography traces Ram Nath Kovind’s journey from his early life in Uttar Pradesh to his service as India’s 14th President.
- Ram Nath Kovind served as a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh from 1994 to 2006.
- Ram Nath Kovind served as Governor of Bihar from 16 August 2015 to 21 June 2017.
- Ram Nath Kovind served as the 14th President of India from 25 July 2017 to 25 July 2022.
- Article 74 requires the President to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
