Bhubaneswar: President Ram Nath Kovind reached Odisha today on his maiden visit to the state. The first citizen of the country and his wife Savita Kovind arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here around 10.30 am.

They were welcomed by Odisha Governor SC Jamir, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, State Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, DGP RP Sharma, City Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena and other senior officer of the state administration.

The President was also accorded a guard of honour by policemen at the airport.

The President commenced his engagements by paying tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at his birthplace in Cuttack. Later, he dedicated the Anand Bhawan Museum and Learning Centre – a memorial to the late Chief Minister Biju Patnaik - to the people of Odisha in Cuttack.

Tomorrow, Kovind will address the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan in Puri. On the same day in Bhubaneswar, the President will grace the convocation of IIT Bhubaneswar as well as inaugurate the ICT-IOC (Institute of Chemical Technology –Indian Oil Corporation) Bhubaneswar campus. He will also lay the foundation stone for the Skill Development Institute of Oil PSUs, before returning to Delhi.