Story highlights Victory could boost support for ruling party among India's Dalit communityPresident is a largely ceremonial role in IndiaNew Delhi (CNN) A relatively unknown political operator and member of India's lowest Dalit caste has been elected as the country's 14th president. Kovind secured 2,930 votes in a secret nationwide ballot involving near to 5,000 lawmakers from the central parliament and state legislatures. 20 years ago and the present...always been a privilege to know you, President Elect. pic.twitter.com/IkhnOtYf8N — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 20, 2017The election of 71-year-old Kovind, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, is widely viewed as part of a strategy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to widen support among India's 200 million-strong Dalit community. Kovind is the second Dalit to become Indian president, after K. R. Narayanan , in office from 1997 to 2002.

Source: CNN July 20, 2017 11:58 UTC