President returns from 14-day stay in southern India

Hyderabad, Dec 31: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday returned to New Delhi after his 14-day sojourn in southern India. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, along with his cabinet colleagues and top officials, saw the President off at Hakimpet airport here. Mukherjee, who had arrived here on December 18, stayed at Rashtrapati Nilayam, the official retreat of the President in Secunderabad. The President on Wednesday hosted reception for the governor, the chief minister, top officials and other dignitaries. Narasimhan hosted a dinner in honour of the President on December 29. Mukherjee visited Karnataka on December 22 and 23 to attend various programmes. He visited Andhra Pradesh on December 25 to inaugurate the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's Vedic school and also offered prayers at Tirumala temple. During his stay here, he attended the convocation of Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering-Secunderabad and inaugurated the Indian Economic Association's annual conference. Mukherjee could not attend the Ayutha Chandi Maha Yagam organised by the Telangana chief minister at his farm-house near Hyderabad on December 27 due to a fire accident.