New Delhi, August 11, 2007 -  Noted diplomat and academician Hamid Ansari, 70 years old, is to  be sworn-as the 13th Vice President of the country today at the Rashtrapati Bhavan while he will assume office as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

A distinguished academician, Hamid Ansari is well known for his diplomatic skills,
he was the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities.

He has an "excellent record" of serving the nation in many capacities, including as civil servant and as a diplomat.

Ansari(70), who will succeed Bhairon Singh Shekawat, trounced NDA candidate Najma Heptullah and UNPA nominee Rashid Masood with the victory coming on expected lines.

Ansari, garnered 455 votes and Heptullah got 222 votes while Masood finished a poor third securing 75 votes.

Ten votes were declared invalid. The winning candidate had to get the support of at least 377 votes out of 752 valid votes polled.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi said the cross voting was "substantial" from the BJP-led NDA side. Ansari also got some votes from the UNPA kitty.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who drove to Ansari`s South Avenue residence along with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to congratulate him, said "Ansariji`s victory is the triumph of merit and triumph of secular values."

Gandhi, noted that while the Presidential election was a "tense" affair, this was a "good victory."

President Pratibha Patil was among the first dignitories to congratulate Ansari when she spoke to him on telephone.

Shekawat, also drove down to Ansari`s residence to greet him.

In all 762 members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha cast their votes in an all Muslim contest.

In the electoral college of 788, the effective strength of the two Houses is 783.