President arrives for winter sojourn

Hyderabad: President Pranab Mukherjee arrived here on Thursday for his customary southern sojourn till Dec 31.

He was received by Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, several ministers and top officials welcomed him at Hakimpet air force station this evening.

The president left for Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bolarum. The President would also be visiting other southern cities for several engagements, including unveiling of a statue of former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, during his sojourn. Rashtrapati Nilayam is one of the two official retreats of the President of India, the other being 'The Retreat Building' in Shimla.

It is customary for the President to visit Rashtrapati Nilayam and stay there at least once a year and conduct official business from there. Rashtrapati Nilayam is one of the two official retreats of the President of India, the other being 'The Retreat Building' in Shimla.

Located at Bolarum in Secunderabad, the 11- room single-storey building spread over 90 acres, which houses the Rashtrapati Nilayam, was handed over to the President's Secretariat after the erstwhile state of Hyderabad was liberated from the Nizam through a police action.