Bhubaneswar: As India will get its 15th President on Thursday, Odisha’s Rairangpur, the native place of NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, began preparations anticipating Murmu’s victory in the contest against Yashwant Sinha. Sweets have been made for distribution after the results are out. The people of her village have planned a victory procession and tribal dance.
Local BJP is planning celebrations after the results are announced. “We are preparing 20,000 laddus and have put up 100 banners congratulating Murmu, who has her house in our town,” local BJP leader Tapan Mahanta said.
The headteacher of the school where Murmu studied recalled that she was a brilliant student and wanted to “serve the people”. “From 1968 to 1970, I was the Head Teacher, when she was studying in the school. I feel very proud to know about Droupadi Murmu. She was a brilliant student. I remember once, the students were asked to share what they want to become in future, students mentioned different professions, but when Murmu was asked, she stated that she wants to serve the people. Today I can connect to that.”
Droupadi Murmu’s aunt Saraswati Murmu said Droupadi Murmu has proved what women can achieve. “Murmu has struggled a lot throughout her life. It is the fruits of relentless struggle. She is of a very humble and grounded nature. We are always together in happiness and sadness…During our time, we the girls were always told what will you do by studying. People used to ask her what will she be able to do. Now she proved to them what she can do,” she said.
Murmu has a political career spanning over 20 years. Hailing from Odisha, she was born in a Santal Tribal family on June 20, 1958, in village Uparbeda of district Mayurbhanj.
She gained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar and then worked as a Junior Assistant in Irrigation and Power Department from 1979 to 1983 in the Odisha government. IN 1994, she joined as a teacher at Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur and continued serving at the institute till 1997. She got married to Shyam Charan Murmu and had three children. Her husband and two sons have passed away. Her daughter Itishri Murmu is married and settled in Bhubaneshwar, where she works at UCO Bank. Itishree’s husband Ganesh Hembram is a rugby player and the young couple has a little daughter.
Amidst ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik showing his support to NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, an old photograph in which Murmu is seen tying a Rakhi to Patnaik emerged.
Back in the year 2000, Murmu was the MLA from the BJP and both Biju Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were alliance partners.
Murmu was elected MLA twice from the Rairangpur constituency of Mayurbhanj (2000 and 2009) on the BJP’s ticket.
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