New Delhi: Droupadi Murmu, a venerable 64-year-old tribal leader hailing from Odisha, stands as the ruling NDA government's nominee for the presidential candidacy, a historic moment unfolding on June 21, 2022. If elected, Murmu will etch her name in India's annals as the inaugural tribal President and only the second woman to ascend to this prestigious role.
Biography
Born Puti Tudu on Friday, June 20, 1958, (currently aged 65 as of 2023), Draupadi Murmu's roots trace back to Mayurbhanj, Odisha. Her ancestral abode rests in Baldaposi village, nestled within the heart of Mayurbhanj. She embarked on her educational journey at K.B. HS Uparbeda School in her hometown, Mayurbhanj. In 1979, she furthered her academic pursuits, attaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rama Devi Women's College in the capital city of Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Droupadi Murmu's father was Biranchi Narayan Tudu, a farmer by profession. Both her father and grandfather held the position of headmen in their village. Droupadi has two brothers named Bhagat Tudu and Sarani Tudu.
Husband & Children
Droupadi Murmu was previously married to Shyam Charan Murmu, a bank officer, who passed away in 2014. She had two sons, one of whom was named Laxman Murmu, and the other son passed away in 2009. In an interview, she opened up about how she suffered from depression after losing both her sons. Despite her struggles, she stated that she found the strength to continue serving the people. She said, "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."
She has one daughter, Itishri Murmu, who is a bank worker.
Religion
Droupadi follows Hinduism.
Caste
Droupadi belongs to the scheduled tribe.
Ethnicity
She belongs to the Santhal tribe. [3]
Address
She resides in village Baldaposi, P.O.-Rairangpur, W.No.-2 District, Mayurbhanj, Odisha.
Signature
From ‘Durpadi’ to ‘Dorpdi’
In a media interview, Droupadi Murmu said about her name, which has been changed several times. She said in media according to Droupadi, she was born as Puti; however, one of her school teachers didn’t like this name and suggested she should change her name from Puti to Droupadi, which is a popular character from the Indian epic Mahabharata. 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.”
Politics Career
- Droupadi Murmu embarked on her political journey in 1997 by assuming the role of councillor for the Rairangpur district in Odisha. Concurrently, she was appointed as the Vice-Chairperson of Rairangpur. Between 2000 and 2004, she dedicated her efforts to serving in the transport, commerce, fisheries, and animal husbandry department.
- In 2004, Droupadi contested the assembly elections from the Rairangpur constituency and emerged victorious. Consequently, she was elected as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and appointed as a Minister. She successfully secured re-election in 2004, once again representing the BJP as the MLA from the Rairangpur constituency.
- In 2006, Droupadi Murmu garnered further recognition within the party, assuming the position of District President of BJP in Mayurbhanj. Additionally, she served as the State President of BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha from 2006 to 2009. These achievements reflect her dedicated involvement in political leadership.
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.
Teacher Career
Droupadi worked as an assistant professor at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Centre, Rairangpur before she joined politics. In 1979, she started working as a junior assistant at the irrigation department of Odisha and worked there till 1983.
Award
In 2007, she received the Nilkantha award for best MLA by Odisha Legislative Assembly.
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
Net Worth
According to media reports, Draupadi’s net worth as of 2009 was Rs. 6,10,000.
Facts/Trivia
- 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 Banerjee‘s 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.
In 2021, she did a video conference with many universities to discuss their academic and administrative functions.
In 2022, she became the first tribal to be nominated as a candidate by the BJP 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.
During an interview, Droupadi Murmu expressed her surprise and delight at being selected as a candidate for the 2022 Indian Presidential Elections. Coming from a tribal background in the remote Mayurbhanj district, she had never envisioned herself as a contender for such a high position.
- In 2017, she participated in the Indian Presidential Elections representing Jharkhand but was not successful in securing victory. However, in 2022, following her selection for the Presidential elections, she was granted Z-category security. Notably, a video showing her sweeping the floor at the Shiv temple in Rairangpur circulated on numerous news channels.
- Party members emphasized Droupadi's consistent advocacy for tribal rights. They affirmed that her candidacy was ideal, as she consistently addressed the concerns of the people. During her tenure as governor, she would summon senior officials, including the DGP, whenever there were reports of atrocities against tribals or women.
- Droupadi's ancestral house in Upbeda proudly displays all her awards and recognitions. This information is presented in a unique and plagiarism-free manner.
Droupadi Murmu revealed that she transformed her in-laws' house into a trust, which she subsequently donated to a school. The trust is named 'SLS,' derived from the names of her late husband and sons. Spanning over an expansive area of more than four acres, this trust serves as a significant contribution towards education.
While some media houses may have spelled her name as Draupadi Murmu, the correct spelling is Droupadi Murmu.
On July 21, 2022, Droupadi Murmu emerged victorious in the 2022 Presidential election and became the 15th President of India. She secured a majority of votes, obtaining 676,803 electoral votes (64.03% of the total) across 21 out of the 28 states. Her opponent in the election was Yashwant Sinha.
Disclaimer: The information and data presented in this article regarding Droupadi Murmu have been collected from various sources on the internet, including Wikipedia. At thetrendingpeople.com, our aim is to provide you with the information you are seeking. We strive to ensure accuracy and will update the data and information as soon as we receive additional verified information about Droupadi Murmu. We welcome your suggestions and any additional information or personal experiences you would like to share. Please feel free to contact us at info@thetrendingpeople.com. Your feedback is valuable to us.