Droupadi Murmu is an Indian politician who is known for being elected as the 15th President of India on 21 July 2022 after winning the 2022 Indian Presidential Election.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Droupadi Murmu was born as Puti Tudu [1]Zee News on Friday, 20 June 1958 (age 65 years; as of 2023) in Mayurbhanj, Odisha. Her zodiac sign is Gemini. Her hometown is Baldaposi village, Mayurbhanj, Odisha. She attended the K.B. HS Uparbeda School, Mayurbhanj. She pursued a bachelor of arts degree at Rama Devi Women’s College, Bhubaneswar, Odisha in 1979. [2]The Hindu
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Droupadi’s father’s name is Biranchi Narayan Tudu, who was a farmer. Her father and grandfather were the headmen of the village. Her grandfather, also known as Pradhan, was a tax collector during the British era, and after his demise, her father took the same position. [3]Mojo Story – YouTube She has two brothers, Bhagat Tudu and Sarani Tudu.
Husband & Children
Droupadi was married to Shyam Charan Murmu, a bank officer who died in 2014. She had two sons, one of whose name was Laxman Murmu, who died in 2013. She lost her other son in 2009. In an interview, she said that when she lost her sons, she suffered from depression. She further added,
I have witnessed many ups and downs in life. I have lost my two sons and my husband. I was completely devastated. But God has given me the strength to continue to serve the people.”
Droupadi Murmu with her husband Shyam Charan Murmu
A collage of Droupadi Murmuās sons Lakshman and Sipun
She has one daughter, Itishri Murmu, who is a bank worker.
Droupadi Murmu with her daughter
Religion
Droupadi follows Hinduism.
Caste
Droupadi belongs to the scheduled tribe.
Ethnicity
She belongs to the Santhal tribe. [4]India Today
Address
She resides in village Baldaposi, P.O.-Rairangpur, W.No.-2 District, Mayurbhanj, Odisha.
Signature
Droupadi Murmu’s signature
From ‘Durpadi’ to ‘Dorpdi’
In an interview, Droupadi Murmu talked about her name, which has been changed several times. According to Droupadi Murmu, she was named ‘Durgi’ after her paternal grandmother. She was fondly called ‘Bati’ by her family members and sometimes referred to as ‘Puti’ as well. Her school teacher, however, didn’t like the name ‘Durgi’ and combined it with ‘Puti’ to create the name Droupadi,Ā which is a popular character from the Indian epic Mahabharata. [5]Mojo Story – YouTube According to Murmu, during her school, and college years, her surname was “Tudu,” and after she got married to Shyam Charan Murmu, she started using the title “Murmu.” [6]Zee News
Politics
- Droupadi began her political career in 1997 when she became the councillor of the Rairangpur district of Odisha. In the same year, she also served as the Vice- Chairperson of Rairangpur.
- In 2004, she won the assembly elections from the Rairangpur constituency after which she was elected as the Minister of BJP. In 2000, she started working in the transport, commerce, fisheries and animal husbandry department and worked there till 2004.
- In 2004, she again won the assembly elections and was elected as the MLA of BJP from the Rairangpur constituency.
- In 2006, she was elected as the District President of BJP in Mayurbhanj and State President of BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha. She served the post from 2006 to 2009.
Constitutional Posts
Governor
In May 2015, she was elected as the ninth Governor of Jharkhand and served as the governor till 2021.
President of India
In 2022, the BJP selected her as a candidate for the 2022 Indian Presidential Elections. On 21 July 2022, she was elected as the 15th President of India, defeating Yashwant Sinha in the 2022 Indian Presidential Elections.
Droupadi Murmu taking oath as the 15th President of India on 15 July 2022
Teacher
In 1979, she started working as a junior assistant at the irrigation department of Odisha and worked there till 1983. In 1994, Droupadi joined Shri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Centre, Rairangpur, as an assistant professor and worked there till 1997.
Awards/Honours
- In 2007, she received the Nilkantha Award for best MLA from Odisha Legislative Assembly.
- In June 2023, Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi presented her with Suriname’s most prestigious honor, known as the “Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star.”
President Droupadi Murmu receiving the Surinameās highest distinction, āGrand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star,ā from Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi
Assets/Properties
Movable Assets
- Cash: Rs. 1,80,000
- Deposits in Banks, Financial Institutions and Non-Banking Financial Companies: Rs. 5,05,000
- LIC or other insurance Policies: Rs. 1,30,000
- Jewellery: Rs. 2,60,000
Gross Total Value: Rs. 1,075,000 [7]My Neta
Net Worth
Droupadi’s net worth as of 2009 was Rs. 6,10,000. [8]My Neta
Facts/Trivia
- Droupadi is also known as ‘Pradhan ki Beti’ (Pradhan’s daughter) in her village since her father was a Pradhan. [9]Mojo Story – YouTube
- Her hobbies include reading and knitting.
- In 1983, she left her government job to take care of her children.
- She was the first governor of Jharkhand to serve a five-year term.
- In 2016, she met Pratyusha Banerjeeās parents in relation to the suicide case of their daughter.
- In 2016, she said that after she died, her eyes would be donated to the Kashyap Memorial Eye Hospital in Ranchi.
- In an interview, she said that after she started following Brahmakumari Nirmala, she was able to fight the depression she suffered after her sons’ and husband’s death. In 2018, Brahmakumari Nirmala tied a rakhi to Droupadi.
Brahmakumari Nirmala tyiing rakhi to Droupadi Murmu
- In 2021, she did a video conference with many universities to discuss their academic and administrative functions.
Droupadi Murmu reviewing academic and administrative functions on video conferencing
- In 2022, she became the first tribal to be nominated as a candidate by the BJPĀ for the 2022 Indian Presidential Elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to congratulate her and wrote,
Millions of people, especially those who have experienced poverty and faced hardships, derive great strength from the life of Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji. Her understanding of policy matters and compassionate nature will greatly benefit our country.”
- In an interview, she expressed her feelings after getting selected as a candidate for the 2022 Indian Presidential Elections, and said,
I am surprised as well as delighted. As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, I had not thought about becoming the candidate for the top post.”
- In 2017, she was elected for the 2017 Indian Presidential Elections from Jharkhand, but she did not win the elections.
- In 2022, she was provided Z category security after her selection for the Presidential elections. After the selection, a video of her sweeping the floor at Shiv temple in Rairangpur was shown on many new channels.
- In an interview, her party members said that she always took a stand for tribal rights. In an interview, the party members commented about her and said,
Her candidature is perfect, and she has always raised issues of the people. During her governorship, she often summoned the DGP or other senior officials whenever there were reports of atrocities on tribals or women.”
- Her ancestral house is in Upbeda, where she kept all her awards and recognitions.
Droupadi Murmu’s ancestral house
- According to her, she changed her in-laws’ house into a trust and donated it to a school. The name of the trust is āSLS,ā which was kept after her husband and sonsā names. This trust covers an area of more than four acres.
Memorial of Droupadi Murmu’s husband and sons
- On 21 July 2022, she was elected as the 15th president of India after getting majority of votes in the 2022 Presidential election defeating opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha with 676,803 electoral votes (64.03% of total) in 21 of the 28 states.
- Droupadi Murmu received her new Voter ID card from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi P. Krishnamurthy at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on 28 November 2023.
President Droupadi Murmu received her Voter ID card from Shri P. Krishnamurthy, Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. pic.twitter.com/yE2tTXhzq4
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) November 28, 2023
A fine and a fine patience born for the Indians to serve. And tribal woman will make the country’s tribal and all castes may have good future, I believe!!!