President-elect Droupadi Murmu also attended the farewell dinner for Kovind whose term ends Monday.
Official sources said the dinner had good representation from all parts of the country, including many Padma awardees and tribal leaders.
A source said this dinner was “unique” as it did not not have the usual Delhi-centric crowd and emphasis was to make it more representative.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and members of the prime minister’s Cabinet were present at the event. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also attended it.
Murmu was elected to be the next President of India on Friday after she comprehensively defeated the opposition’s presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha. She will take oath at the Central Hall of Parliament on Monday.