Journey of Droupadi Murmu: From tribal leader to President nominee

New Delhi: Droupadi Murmu, the first woman tribal leader to file her nomination for the top constitutional post of the country, is a seasoned politician from Odisha coupled with an extensive background in the field of academics reflects that she will uplift the tribal sections of the country.

Droupadi Murmu, who was declared BJP-led NDA’s presidential candidate, is a former Governor of Jharkhand and a former Odisha minister.

She will face opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the presidential contest on July 18. If elected, she will be the first tribal President of India and the country’s second female President.

Droupadi Murmu is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance. She continues to break barriers and was the first woman governor of Jharkhand. She served as Jharkhand Governor from 2015 to 2021.

Born in a poor tribal family in a village of Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Droupadi Murmu completed her studies despite challenging circumstances. She taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur.

Born on June 20, 1958, she pursued BA at Ramadevi Women’s College Bhubaneswar.

She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. Droupadi Murmu was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur between 2000 and 2004. As a minister, she held portfolios of Transport and Commerce, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. She again served as MLA in the Odisha assembly from 2004 to 2009.

In 2007, the Odisha assembly honoured her with the ‘Nilakantha Award’ for best MLA.

She served as a junior assistant in Irrigation and Power Department between 1979 and 1983.

She has held several organisational posts in BJP and was vice president of state ST Morcha in 1997.

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Droupadi Murmu was a national executive member of BJP’s ST Morcha from 2013 to 2015 and served as BJP district chief of Mayurbhanj (West) in 2010 and 2013.

Between 2006 and 2009, she was chief of BJP’s ST Morcha in Odisha. She was a member of the national executive of BJP ST Morcha from 2002 to 2009.

Besides, the NDA partners, including Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, the YSR Congress led by Jagan Mohan Reddy has also announced its support to the candidature of Murmu.

Speaking to ANI, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda at Parliament Library Building in Delhi said that the people of the country especially the tribal community are feeling proud of her nomination.

“The people of the country especially the tribal community are feeling proud of the nomination of Droupadi Murmu as a presidential candidate. This is historic,” said Munda.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is also in the national capital to be part of the nomination filing of presidential candidates said that NDA has taken an appropriate decision as it will send a good message to tribal sections of society.

“Droupadi Murmu is NDA’s candidate for Presidential elections. She is from a humble background, is well educated and has good skills as a legislator. NDA has taken an appropriate decision, it will send a good message to tribal sections of society,” said Bommai.

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma on NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu said that National People’s Party (NPP) is supporting her candidature.

“I am extremely thrilled. It has been a part of our ideology. My late father PS Sangma had once said that one day a tribal person will become the President of India. It is dream come true for all of us. We are supporting her candidature,” said Sangma.