Droupadi Murmu has become the 15th President of India. Know about Draupadi Murmu family, education, political career, previous offices, and other details.
On July 25, 2022, Droupadi Murmu was sworn in by the chief judge of India’s Supreme Court to become the country’s fifteenth president. She is the second woman, after Pratibha Patil, to assume the presidency and the first member of the tribal community. She is the youngest president to hold the office and the first to be born in an independent India. Droupadi Murmu previously held positions in the legislature of Odisha state from 2000 to 2009 and as governor of Jharkhand state from 2015 to 2021.
Draupadi Murmu Biography
| Name | Draupadi Murmu |
| Born | June 20, 1958 |
| Birth Place | Uparbeda, Mayurbhanj, Odisha, India |
| Age | 65 years |
| Parents | Biranchi Narayan Tudu |
| Political Party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Office | President of India |
| Education | Ramadevi Women’s University |
| Previous Offices | Governor of Jharkhand, Minister of State for Fisheries and Animal, Minister of State for Commerce and Transport, Member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly |
| Children | Itishri Murmu |
| Spouse | Shyam Charan Murmu (passed away in 2014) |
Who is Draupadi Murmu?
As the country’s fifteenth president, Draupadi Murmu is in office at the moment. She was raised in a humble household in a distant village in Mayurbhanj, Odisha. She was employed by the Odisha state irrigation department as a junior assistant and assistant instructor before going into politics. In 1997, she started her political career as a councilor in Rairangpur for the BJP. Later on, she rose to become the president of the BJP’s Odisha unit’s Scheduled Tribe Morcha.
Murmu reached a number of significant points in her political career. She won the best legislative member award while serving as a cabinet minister in the BJD-BJP coalition government from 2002 to 2004 after being elected twice to the Odisha state legislative assembly on the BJP platform. She endured personal misfortunes, such as the passing of her husband and her two adult sons, yet she persevered and stood her ground in her public life.
Notably, Draupadi Murmu created history by being the first Odisha-born woman to hold the office of governor, the first tribal governor of a tribal state, and the first female governor of Jharkhand. She is joined in her family by her son-in-law, rugby player Ganesh Hembram, and daughter, Itishree Murmu, who works at a bank.
Career
Teaching Career
- Draupadi Murmu started school teaching before entering politics.
- She works as an assistant professor at the Shri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Institute in Rairangpur.
- She was appointed as a Junior Assistant at the Irrigation Department of the Government of Orissa.
Political Career
- In 1997, Draupadi Murmu join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
- She was elected as the councilor of the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat.
- In 2000, she became the chairperson of Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat.
- She served as the National vice president of BJP schedule Tribes Morcha.
- From 6th March 2000 to 6th August 2000, when the BJP and Biju Janata Dal allied, she was the minister of State with independent charge for Commerce and Transportation, and she was also the in-charge for Fisheries and Animal Resource Development from 6th August 2002 to 16th May 2004.
- From 2000 to 2004 she served as the former Odisha minister and MLA from the Rairangpur assembly constituency.
| Positions held | Tenure |
| Minister of State with Independent Charge for Commerce and Transportation | March 6, 2000, to August 6, 2000 |
| Minister of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development | August 6, 2002, to May 16, 2004 |
| Former Odisha Minister | 2000 |
| MLA from Rairangpur Assembly Constituency | 2004 |
Draupadi Murmu Awards & Honours
The Odisha Legislative Assembly awarded Draupadi Murmu the Nilkantha Award in 2007 for being the finest MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly).
Draupadi Murmu: Governor of Jharkhand
On May 18, 2015, Draupadi Murmu took the oath of office as the first female governor of Jharkhand. She was the first Odisha-born female tribal leader to be named governor of the Indian state.
In her capacity as Jharkhand’s governor in 2017, Draupadi Murmu declined to sign a measure that sought to change the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act of 1949. The bill had been approved by the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.
The purpose of the bill was to guarantee that property ownership remains constant while granting tribal members the ability to utilize their land for economic purposes.
Draupadi Murmu: NDA’s Presidential Candidate 2022
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Draupadi Murmu as the National Democratic Alliance’s nominee for the 2022 Indian presidential election. As part of the Presidential Campaign 2022, she traveled to several states in the nation to court BJP lawmakers and other opposition parties to endorse her candidacy.
When Draupadi Murmu visited the Northeastern states, she received support from a number of well-known opposition groups, including the BJD in Odisha, the JMM Party in Jharkhand, the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, the BSP in Uttar Pradesh, the JDS in Karnataka, and many more.
Draupadi Murmu takes oath as the 15th President of India
On July 25, 2022, Draupadi Murmu took the oath of office as India’s fifteenth president. In the Central Hall of Parliament, Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana administered her oath. Shortly before the swearing-in ceremony began, Draupadi Murmu and outgoing Indian President Ram Nath Kovind entered the Parliament in a ceremonial parade.
The first-ever tribal president of India, Draupadi Murmu, expressed her gratitude to the members of parliament and assembly during her speech. “I am the first President of the country who was born in Independent India,” she declared during her inaugural speech as head of the biggest democracy in the world. To live up to the hopes that our independence fighters instilled in the people of Independent India, we shall need to step up our efforts.”
Droupadi Murmu: Books about the President of India
- Droupadi Murmu: Books about the President of India
Droupadi Murmu, the 15th and current President of India, was born on June 20, 1958. Ms. Murmu is the first member of a tribal community and the second woman to be appointed to the esteemed position of President of India in 2022. Here is a selection of a few novels that provide insight into the life and times of Droupadi Murmu.
- Madam President: The Biography of Droupadi Murmu’ by Sandeep Sahu
“Madam President” is a thorough account of Droupadi Murmu’s remarkable life, including everything from her time as a teacher to her political ascent to the position of first Indian president from a tribe. The book, written by seasoned journalist Sandeep Sahu, was released in 2022.
- Droupadi Murmu: From From Tribal Hinterlands to Raisina Hill’ by Kasturi Ray
Published in May 2023, ‘Droupadi Murmu: From Tribal Hinterlands to Raisina Hills’ recounts the story of Droupadi Murmu, a tribal girl who, with tenacity and resolve, overcame all obstacles throughout her life. Journalist Kasturi Ray uses interviews and analysis to tell her tale.
- ‘President Droupadi Murmu: Rairangpur to Raisina Hills’ by Gopal Sharma
On July 25, 2022, Droupadi Murmu made history by becoming the first member of an Indian tribal community to hold the office of President. Additionally, she is the nation’s second-highest ranking Indian woman. Gopal Sharma visited President Murmu’s hometown to learn more about her from the locals in order to narrate her inspirational narrative in this book. This adds significance to the work.
- Bonus: ‘Draupadi Murmu: She Overcame All the Odds’ by Nicole Herbert Dean
This short book—just 15 pages—introduces readers to Draupadi Murmu, the President of India, and her remarkable life. The book is a part of the Learn Language Through Stories series and is written in easy English.
Droupadi Murmu: India’s First Tribal President
She is 15th President of India and she expressed her words: “President is a constitutional position, and I will uphold its dignity and will stay away completely from politics and work for the people of the country”
Some struggle throughout their entire lives. Sometimes for the sake of others, and other times for their own interests. Such individuals provide an example for others by serving their families and society with such dedication and honesty, especially in the face of hardship. The persona of Droupadi Murmu is one example. One of the biggest tribal communities in India, the Santhal community, includes Ms. Murmu, who was born in the hamlet of Baidaposi in the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha in 1958. She attended the Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar, the state capital, as the daughter of the head of the local council. She was a fantastic student since she was little and a devoted follower of Lord Shiva. She came from a ST family, endured numerous challenges, and finished her higher education.
Despite being from a tribal family and a backward place, her family members are well-educated and have a respectable standing in the village. Her grandfather and father headed the village. She had two sons and one daughter from her marriage to Shyam Charan Murmu. But her two sons passed away at a later age. Draupadi Murmu wed the financier Shyam Charan Murmu, who passed away in 2014. The couple had a daughter and two sons, both of whom passed away. In the course of four years, she lost her husband and her two sons, yet she never lost courage. She currently resides with Itishree Murmu, her only child. She forgot her own suffering by accepting that of others.
When Kartik Majhi, a minister in the Odisha government, was in the area when she was a child, her father took her to the nearby town of Rairangpur. She abruptly jumped onto the stage, showed the minister her diploma, and declared her desire to further her education in Bhubaneswar. The young girl’s passion so pleased the minister that he gave his staff the order to assist her in securing admission to a government school located in the state capital.
Ms. Murmu started her work with the Odisha government as a clerk and worked as a junior assistant in the department of energy and irrigation from 1979 to 1983. At her mother-in-law’s request, she left her job in Bhubaneswar and returned to Rairangpur to care for her family. She then started working as a teacher at the Sri Aurobindo Integral School. However, she declined to take a pay cheque. All the school paid for was her rickshaw fare. This is public service, not a job, she emphasized. She said that her husband’s pay as a bank officer was sufficient to meet the necessities of the family She gave her in-laws’ four acres of property so that a school could be built in honor of her late husband and kids.
When she was chosen as a councilor in the Rairangpur local elections in 1997, her political career officially began. She was frequently observed overseeing cleanliness operations in the town herself, standing in the sun as trash was removed and drains were cleaned. Ms. Murmu presided over the state arm of the BJP for “scheduled tribes”—tribal people identified by the Indian constitution as economically and socially marginalized—from 2006 to 2009. She was elected to the state assembly twice as a BJP member, from the Rairangpur constituency in 2000 and 2009. The Legislative Assembly of Orissa also gave Draupadi Murmu the Nilkantha Award for being the finest MLA. She served as a minister in the state’s coalition government from 2000 to 2004, which was headed by Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik. She oversaw the portfolios for fisheries and animal resources after initially being in charge of trade and transportation. Murmu was chosen in 2015 to serve as Jharkhand’s first female governor. She will remain in that capacity until July 2021.
She has made headlines on other times for defying tradition, like as when she went to meet with the railway minister in Mayurbhanj, her home district, or when she paid Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik a visit at his residence. “Both instances were regarded as protocol violations. However, her political guru Rajkishore Das thinks she could not care less. The most noteworthy aspect of Ms. Murmu’s character, according to Mr. Das, “is her equanimity in both happy and sad times and her stoicism in the face of tragedy.” “The way she gathered herself and continued working for the people even after multiple tragedies in her family speaks volumes about her remarkable strength of character.”
“Droupadi Murmu Ji has dedicated her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden, as well as the marginalized,” stated Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. She had an amazing term as governor and has a wealth of administrative expertise. She will make an excellent president of our country, I’m sure of it. Millions of people find tremendous strength in the life of Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji, particularly those who have endured poverty and adversity. Her sensitivity and grasp of policy issues will be very beneficial to our nation. “I am especially happy as Murmu belongs to my Lok Sabha constituency and is also of my tribal community,” stated Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Bisheeswar Tudu.
Not only is her life in danger, but the Santhal tribal group in Jharkhand and Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district—where she was born—is also in danger. Families within the tribe are aware that it is a symbolic act for them. People in Uperbeda, Odisha, 280 kilometers from the state capital Bhubaneswar, were celebrating even before the vote count started. This isolated tribal community, where Murmu was born and raised, is today ecstatic and proud of “Odisha’s daughter.” A 13-year-old Surat girl studying in Class 8, Bhavika Maheshvari is a motivational speaker and author of a book on life lessons that may be gleaned from Draupadi Murmu.
She is now India’s first female tribal president and the country’s second female president overall (the first being Ms. Pratibha Patil). “President is a constitutional position, and I will uphold its dignity and will stay away completely from politics and work for the people of the country,” said the 15th President of India.
The Many Firsts in Droupadi Murmu’s Presidential Journey
Droupadi Murmu’s nomination as the Indian President came with many firsts, such as:
- Smt. Murmu is the first President of the country to be born in Independent India.
- At age 64, she became the youngest Indian President.
- Draupadi Murmu is the first tribal woman to have been elected for the highest constitutional post of the country.
- In 2015, Murmu was sworn in as the first woman Governor of Jharkhand, and was also the longest-serving Governor of the state, from 2015 to 2021.
- She is also the first girl from her village to attend college, the Uparbeda village of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha.
Droupadi Murmu Family History
Droupadi Murmu was born in the isolated Odishan village of Mayurbhanj and is a member of the Schedule Tribe Cast. Her father, Biranchi Narayan Tudu, was a well-respected farmer in the Gram Panchayat of the village. Bhagat Tudu and Sarani Tudu are the names of Droupadi Murmu’s two brothers. In 1980, she wed bank officer Shyam Charan Murmu, with whom she had one daughter and two sons. The husband of Droupadi Murmu passed away in 2014 from cardiac arrest. The deaths of both of Droupadi Murmu’s sons caused a mountain of grief to collapse. Among them were Laxman Murmu, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 25, and Sipun Murmu, her second son, who also perished in a car accident in 2012. Itishree, a banker, is married to rugby player Ganesh Hembram, the daughter of Droupadi Murmu.
President of India List
Here is the complete list of Indian Presidents from 1947 to 2022.
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
- Dr. Zakir Hussain
- V. V. Giri
- Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
- Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy
- Giani Zail Singh
- R. Venkataraman
- Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
- K. R. Narayanan
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
- Pratibha Singh Patil
- Pranab Mukherjee
- Ram Nath Kovind
- Droupadi Murmu
Some Interesting and lesser-known facts about Droupadi Murmu:
- Droupadi Murmu is the first woman from tribal community and the second lady after Pratibha Patil to become President of India.
- She is elected as the 15th President of India on 25 July 2022, becoming the youngest President and the first woman to be born after India’s Independence in 1947.
- She worked as a school teacher at Sri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Centre in Rairangpur. She taught Maths, Hindi, Odia, and Geography and never claimed a full salary at the school.
- Droupadi Murmu started to follow Brahma Kumaris to fight depression after the death of her husband and sons.
- She served as Governor of Jharkhand from May 2015 to July 2021, becoming the first woman to hold the position in Jharkhand.
- As a Governor of Jharkhand, Droupadi Murmu has returned the two bills seeking an amendment to the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, 1949. The new amendments empowered tribals to allow the government to use tribal land commercially and to lease tribal land.
- In Jun 2022, The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated Droupadi Murmu as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for President of India for 2022. In Jul 2022, she defeated opposition (UPA) candidate Yashwant Sinha who gets only 35.97% of the votes, and Murmu who gets 64.03% votes and wins the presidential election.
- Murmu was connected with a few tribal cultural and socio-educational organizations of Odisha.
- Droupadi Murmu announced on 03-Sep-2016 that she will donate her eyes at the Run of Vision programme organised by Kashyap Memorial Eye Hospital (KMEH), Ranchi.
Droupadi Murmu: Latest News
AI is helping lives, but moral conundrums must be resolved: Murmu at IIIT Lucknow
Speaking at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIIT) Lucknow’s second convocation event, President Droupadi Murmu emphasized that India possesses the necessary 5Ds (demand, demography, democracy, desire, and dream) to become a developed country by 2047.
President Droupadi Murmu stated on Tuesday that artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a vital tool in streamlining human life by bringing advancements in the areas of healthcare, education, agriculture, and infrastructure, among others. He emphasized the need to address the ethical conundrums arising from the use of AI.
Speaking at the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Lucknow’s second convocation event, the President emphasized that India possesses the necessary 5Ds—demand, demography, democracy, desire, and dream—to become a developed country by 2047.
As the main guest of the event, Murmu mentioned that the Center had issued the “National AI Strategy” in 2018 and that the Uttar Pradesh government had started initiatives to transform large cities into hubs for AI and IT. But she insisted that it was critical to address the moral conundrums raised by the application of AI, including the issue of automation-related unemployment, increased economic disparity, and human biases in AI results.
Every problem, according to her, should have an original solution. When combined with artificial intelligence, emotional intelligence must be seen as a tool, not a goal. The primary objective should be to enhance the quality of human life. She went on, “Every decision we make should benefit even the most marginalized people.”
By 2047, she continued, “our vision” was for India to be developed, and everyone should be involved in the process to fully contribute to the achievement of this objective.
Ten years ago, the Indian economy ranked eleventh globally. Our economy, however, is currently the fifth largest in the world and is projected to rise to the third rank by 2030. India is among the youngest countries in the world, with more than 55% of its population under 25 years old, the speaker continued.
She urged the deserving students to “take a pledge that those born after the country’s 100 years of Independence live in a prosperous India with inclusive development” as she awarded degrees and medals to the successful graduates.
The President emphasized that “religion brings happiness while knowledge brings humility,” citing a Sanskrit poem. She expressed hope that the students will contribute to a robust and successful future for society and the country by adhering to the institution’s guiding ideals.
She also discussed the notion of using IIITs to establish the basis of Indian heritage in order to acquire information in regional languages. She argued that this endeavor will be important in overcoming barriers to knowledge enhancement caused by linguistic constraints.
“IIIT Lucknow is dedicated to fulfilling the increasing needs and educating students for the challenges that lie ahead in society and industry. It is notable for being the first university in the nation to introduce an MBA program in digital business while adhering to the New Education Policy’s vision. The President stated, “The initiative is in line with the vision of Digital India and helps prepare students for the digital age.”
Speaking to the assembly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the state is quickly becoming known as a national hub for data centers and that it has received investment proposals totaling Rs 40 lakh crore, some of which were for the advancement of electronics and semiconductor manufacturing in preparation for the 2023 UP Global Investors Summit.
In addition, he emphasized the significance of artificial intelligence by pointing out that the technology may be used to create digital hospitals that will help those who live in remote and rural places.
Presenting the “Khel Ratna” and “Arjuna” awards is President Droupadi Murmu.
The Arjuna Awards were given to 26 athletes and para-athletes, including Olympic gold contenders Chirag and Satwik.
The ‘Khel Ratna’ and ‘Arjuna’ awards are given out at Rashtrapati Bhawan on January 9, 2023 by President Droupadi Murmu.
The Arjuna Award, which is regarded as the second-highest athletic distinction in India, is given to those who have demonstrated leadership, sportsmanship, discipline, and outstanding performance during the previous four years.
At the National Sports Awards, President Droupadi Murmu presented Mohammed Shami with the Arjuna Award.
Cricketer Mohammed Shami, who won the Arjuna Award, and shuttlers Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were among the honorees.
Chirag and Satwik were bestowed with the esteemed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments in 2023, which included winning the Indonesia Open Super 1000, the Asian Championships, and gold in badminton for India for the first time ever.
Usually held on August 29 to honor Major Dhyan Chand’s birth anniversary, the ceremony was rescheduled from September 23 to October 8 of last year because of the Hangzhou Asian Games.
There was much celebration when 26 athletes and para-athletes received the Arjuna Awards. With their qualifying almost assured, Chirag and Satwik, who are presently rated first in the world, have their sights set on an Olympic medal in Paris.
Grandmaster R. Vaishali of chess, pistol shooter Esha Singh (who was competing in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers), boxer Mohammad Hussamuddin, wrestler Antim Panghal, and para archer Sheetal Devi were among the notable recipients of awards.
Among the Dronacharya recipients was RB Ramesh, a chess coach known for developing talent such as Praggnanandhaa. A ₹15 lakh cash prize is awarded for the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards, and a ₹25 lakh cash prize is given for the Khel Ratna.
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