Droupadi Murmu: Former Teacher, Tribal Leader, Now Presidential Candidate

Droupadi Murmu, the first woman tribal leader to file her nomination for the top constitutional post of the country, is a seasoned politician from Odisha coupled with an extensive background in the field of academics reflects that she will uplift the tribal sections of the country.

Droupadi Murmu, who was declared BJP-led NDA's presidential candidate, is a former Governor of Jharkhand and a former Odisha minister.

She will face opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the presidential contest on July 18. If elected, she will be the first tribal President of India and the country's second female President.

Droupadi Murmu is the first presidential candidate from Odisha of a major political party or alliance. She continues to break barriers and was the first woman governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021.

Born on June 20, 1958 into a poor tribal family in a village of Mayurbhanj, a backward district in Odisha, Ms Murmu completed her education despite challenging circumstances. She pursued a bachelor's degree at Ramadevi Women's College Bhubaneswar following which she taught at Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur.

She started her political career as Rairangpur NAC vice-chairman. Droupadi Murmu was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur between 2000 and 2004. As a minister, she held portfolios of Transport and Commerce, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. She again served as MLA in the Odisha assembly from 2004 to 2009.

In 2007, the Odisha assembly honoured her with the 'Nilakantha Award' for best MLA.

She also served as a junior assistant in Irrigation and Power Department between 1979 and 1983 and has held several organisational posts in the BJP. She was also the vice president of the state ST Morcha in 1997.

Droupadi Murmu went on to become a national executive member of BJP's ST Morcha from 2013 to 2015 and served as the BJP district chief of Mayurbhanj (West) in 2010 and 2013.

Between 2006 and 2009, she was chief of BJP's ST Morcha in Odisha. She was also a member of the national executive of BJP ST Morcha from 2002 to 2009.

Besides, the NDA partners, including Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United), Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, the YSR Congress led by Jagan Mohan Reddy has also announced its support to the candidature of Ms Murmu.

Speaking to ANI, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda at Parliament Library Building in Delhi said that the people of the country, especially the tribal community, are proud of her nomination.

"The people of the country especially the tribal community are feeling proud of the nomination of Droupadi Murmu as a presidential candidate. This is historic," said Mr Munda.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is also in the national capital to be part of the nomination filing of presidential candidates said that NDA, said that it was "an appropriate decision as it will send a good message to tribal sections of society".

"Droupadi Murmu is NDA's candidate for Presidential elections. She is from a humble background, is well educated and has good skills as a legislator. NDA has taken an appropriate decision, it will send a good message to tribal sections of society," said Mr Bommai.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, on the NDA's presidential candidate, said that National People's Party (NPP) is supporting her candidature.

"I am extremely thrilled. It has been a part of our ideology. My late father PA Sangma had once said that one day a tribal person will become the President of India. It is dream come true for all of us. We are supporting her candidature," said Mr Sangma.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)