The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will be travelling to West Bengal on a four-day visit beginning tomorrow i.e. September 14, 2012.

This will be the President's first visit to West Bengal after assumption of office. The President would reach the State capital, Kolkata tomorrow i.e. September 14, 2012 and would be accorded a civic reception in the evening at Netaji Indoor Stadium. He would be felicitated by the Governor and Chief Minister of West Bengal. The Mayor of Kolkata, Shri Sovan Chatterjee and Vice-Chancellor, Kolkata University would also speak on the occasion. The President would also be felicitated by five cultural personalities (Eminent artists : Supriya Debi, Sandhya Mukherjee, Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, Kalyani Kazi and Jogen Chowdhury), three representatives of Chamber of Commerce(CIL/FICCI/ASSOCHAM), and by the Mohan Bagan Sporting Club, East Bengal Club, Mohamedan Sporting Club and CAB.

The next day, on September 15, the President will attend the culmination of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur where Shri Shiv Nader, Chairman , Board of Governors, IIT Karagpur will declare the 58th Annual Convocation open. Four books will also be released by the Governor of West Bengal. The President would present the Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa), Distinguished Alumnus Awards and Gold Medals. Among the dignitaries present on the occasion would be the Governor and Chief Minister of West Bengal, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Ajit Singh and Union Minister of Railways, Shri Mukul Roy.

Thereafter, the President would go to the Netaji Research Bureau and visit Netaji's Sitting Room and the Museum. In the evening, the President would be honoured in a felicitation ceremony by All Chambers of Commerce i.e. jointly by Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bharat Chamber of Commerce, Merchants' Chamber of Commerce and Oriental Chamber of Commerce. At night, a banquet will be hosted in honour of the President by the Governor of West Bengal.

On September 16, the President will inaugurate the Sanjiban Hospital at Fuleswar, Howrah. Union Minister of State for Tourism, Shri Sultan Ahmed would also be present on the occasion.

The President will return to New Delhi on September 17, 2012.

This release issued at 1810 hrs