President Hails AP State For Generating Leaders Like NTR, PV 

Tirupati: President of India Ram Nath Kovind has said that he is honoured and happy to pay a visit to the temple town of Andhra Pradesh after arriving in Tirupati as part of his two day itinerary.

Governor ESL Narasimhan along with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Ministers received Ram Nath Kovind on Friday. The President was felicitated by the state government at a function held at SV University Grounds. Speaking on the occasion, Kovind greeted people in Telugu saying: "Andhariki namaskaram."

"After assuming charge as President of India, I paid my first visit to Jammu and Kashmir and the second to down South — Tirupati. I am happy," he said. President hailed Andhra Pradesh state for giving great leaders like legendary NT Rama Rao and former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao among several others t leaders who served relentlessly for the nation.

Later, the President inaugurated a 750-bed Padmavathi Medical College hospital. The hospital, which houses a hospital, medical college and hostel for students, is constructed at a cost of Rs 512 crore. While the main college building was constructed with a cost of Rs 190 crore, the seven-storey building which is a state-of-the-art facility, is one of its kind in the Rayalaseema region.