Republic Day 2019: Who is Cyril Ramaphosa? All about the chief guest of India’s 70th Republic Day parade

On the 70th Republic Day Parade 2019, the chief guest of the patriotic event is Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa, India’s old ally. This is President Ramaphosa’s first visit to India as the head of the state. After Nelson Mandela, Ramaphosa is the second President of South Africa to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations.

Today, India is celebrating its 70th Republic Day for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited President Ramaphosa as the chief guest when the two leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. PM Modi announced this and said this visit will help ‘cement ties between the two country, India and South Africa.

After US President Donald Trump declined the invitation due to ‘scheduling issue,’ President Ramaphosa was invited to the ceremony.

Who is chief guest Cyril Ramaphosa?

# Cyril Ramaphosa is South Africa’s President, elected in February 2018. He succeeded Jacob Zuma as President of the southern African nation. He is South Africa’s one of the wealthiest business executives.

# Born in Soweto on November 17, 1952, Cyril Ramaphosa is widely recognised as respected politician. After completing his degree in 1981, Ramaphosa joined an independent trade union movement, the Council of Unions of South Africa (CUSA).

# Cyril Ramaphosa is follower of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela and is being invited because this year will mark Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary.

#Ramaphosa arrived India on Friday and also took part in Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations, which commemorate Gandhi's return to India from South Africa.

# President Ramaphosa is a member of the African National Congress's revolutionary vanguard, who rose to prominence as young men fighting the white minority apartheid regime.

Also read: Citizenship (Amendment) Bill: Six student bodies in Manipur to boycott Republic Day celebrations