64-year-old Draupadi Murmu was born in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district to a family belonging to the Santhal-a tribal ethnic group. Living in one of the state’s most underdeveloped regions, her family struggled with poverty. Despite her family’s difficult situation, she went on to graduate from the Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar.
She has made a special identity in public life by spreading awareness about education in the tribal society and serving the public for a long time as a public representative.
Whether it is women empowerment or restoring the pride of tribal identity under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the amount of work that has been done in this direction in the last 8 years has never been done before.
Her nomination as the presidential candidate of the NDA is a reflection of the unwavering resolve of PM Modi for women and tribal welfare and BJP’s commitment to `Nari Shakti’.
The Beginning Of Her Public Life
She began her career as an assistant teacher at the Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre in Rairangpur. Thereafter, she had worked with the irrigation and power department of the Odisha government.
However, as she had seen the difficulties of the children of her community regarding education, she continued teaching the under privileged children of the society as a social service and without any remunerations.
Murmu’s Political Life
Her political career took off in 1997 as she won the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat councillor post. In the same year, she became the state vice president of the BJP’s Scheduled Tribe Morcha.
Considered a soft-spoken and affable leader who comes from Mayurbhanj, one of the more backward regions of Odisha, Murmu has held various positions in the party rising through the ranks and was a minister in the state when the BJP was in alliance with the ruling Biju Janata Dal.
Her second leap to higher active politics began when she contested the Vidhan Sabha elections on a BJP ticket from the Rairangpur seat and won twice and became a Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Odisha government in 2000. In 2007 Murmu had incidentally been felicitated by the Odisha Assembly for being the best MLA of the year.
She has handled various ministries in Odisha like Transport and Commerce and has also served across multiple departments like fisheries, animal husbandry etc.
Over the next decade or so she held several leading roles within the BJP, serving as the state president of the ST Morcha and as the BJP district president of Mayurbhan.
In 2015 she was sworn in as the first woman Governor of Jharkhand. She was also the first woman and tribal leader from Odisha to be appointed as Governor of an Indian state.
Following the announcement of Daraupadi Murmu as NDA’s presidential candidate, PM Modi tweeted, “Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji has devoted her life to serving society and empowering the poor, downtrodden as well as the marginalised. She has rich administrative experience and had an outstanding gubernatorial tenure. I am confident she will be a great President of our nation.”
“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,” PM Modi added.
Her Political Career Timeline:
• 2015-2021: Governor of Jharkhand State
• 2013 : National Executive Member S.T. Morcha, B.J.P. till April,10th, 2015.
• 2013 : Again Elected as District President , Mayurbhanj (West), B.J.P. till April, 10th 2015.
• 2010 : District President, Mayurbhanj (West), B.J.P.
• 2007 : Awarded as “Nilakantha Award” for The Best MLA of the year 2007 by Legislative Assembly of Odisha.
• 2006-2009 : State President S.T. Morcha, B.J.P.
• 2004-2009 : Member of Legislative Assembly, Rairangpur,Odisha.
• 2002-2009 : National Executive Member S.T. Morcha, B.J.P.
• 2000-2004 : Member of Legislative Assembly,Rairangpur, Odisha and became Minister of State (Independent Charge), Govt.of Odisha, Department of Transport and Commerce.
• 2002-2004 : Animal Husbandry Department Govt.of Odhisa.
• 2002-2002 : Department of Fisheries Govt.of Odhisa.
• 1997 : Vice-President State S.T. Morcha, BJP.
• 1997 : Won As Councilor and became Vice-Chairperson Rairangpur
Her Service Career:
• 1979-1983 : Served As Jr Asst in irrigation and power Dept, Govt of Odisha
• 1994-1997: Honorary Asst:Teacher at Shri Aurobindo integral Education Centre, Rairangpur
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