India’s new President overcame several personal tragedies in her life fought depression. In just six years between 2009-2015, Murmu lost her husband, two sons, mother and brother.
Indian lawmakers on Thursday elected Draupadi Murmu for the the president, making her the first president from one of the country’s tribal communities.
Murmu, a 64-year-old, also becomes just the second woman to take over the role.
“A daughter of India hailing from a tribal community born in a remote part of eastern India has been elected our President!” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter.
This appointment, although is largely symbolic and ceremonial, will send a strong message of equality and opportunity for all.
Over 4,500 lawmakers from both the national and state parliaments voted in the presidential election, Murmu managed to secure victory with the backing of her Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is currently in power. “Elated by all of the support from my all political colleagues Ministers, MP’s and MLA’s from all -around India for choosing me to serve as the 15th President in the world’s largest democratic country Mother India,” Murmu wrote on her Twitter.
Murmu belongs to the Santhal tribe of Odisha which is spread over several states in eastern India.
She had worked as a teacher before entering the political arena. Murmu has been a legislator twice, on a BJP ticket, in 2000 and 2009.
In 2015, Murmu was appointed as the first female governor of the eastern state of Jharkhand and held the position until July 2021.
Some see Murmu’s presidential election as a triumph of tribal political aspirations and a breakthrough moment for the community, which has long been neglected and exploited under several governments.
Having been born into a tribal family that was battling with poverty in one of the country’s most remote and underdeveloped districts, her childhood had been full of challenges.
Overcoming all odds, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Arts from Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar and served as a junior assistant in the irrigation and power department in the Odisha government.
She began her political career as the vice-chairman of the Rairangpur NAC. In addition, the Odisha the Odisha Legislative Assembly honoured her with its Best MLA of the Year 2007 award.
She has diverse administrative experience having handled ministries such as transport, commerce, fisheries and animal husbandry in the Odisha government.
Murmu has come a long way to reach where she is today. India’s new President overcame several personal tragedies in her life. In just six years between 2009-2015, Murmu lost her husband, two sons, mother and brother. According to reports, it was then the tribal leader became a keen practitioner of the meditation techniques of the Brahma Kumaris, a movement she embraced after her personal losses.
Murmu had three children – two sons and a daughter – with her husband Shyam Charan Murmu. According to news reports, one of her sons died under mysterious circumstances in 2009 while her second son passed away in a road accident three years later. She had lost her husband earlier because of cardiac arrest. Murmu’s daughter Itishree works in a bank in Odisha.
