Bhubaneswar, Mar 21 (IANS): President Ram Nath Kovind, accompanied by First Lady Savita Kovind, arrived in Bhubaneswar on Saturday for a three-day state visit.

The President arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here in a special plane of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday evening.

The President and the First Lady were welcomed by Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi, and other officials of the state government.

Kovind will spend the night at the Raj Bhawan, said official sources.

The President will grace the 18th annual convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Rourkela on Sunday. He will also inaugurate a super specialty hospital of Rourkela Steel Plant on the same day.

On Monday, the President will visit the Jagannath Temple in Puri besides visiting the Konark Sun Temple and the India Oil Foundation Trust Interpretation Centre in Konark.