Droupadi Murmu first Indian tribal president takes oath

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25th Jul, 2022. 07:02 pm
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Droupadi Murmu sworn in as India’s new president.
64-year-old former teacher is from Odisha (Orissa) and has served as state governor.

She succeeds outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind, whose term expired on July 24.

Droupadi Murmu, a tribal politician, was sworn in as India’s new president, on Monday.

The 64-year-old former teacher is from Odisha (Orissa) and has served as a state governor.

Ms Murmu is the country’s first tribal leader to hold the highest office.

“My elevation as president is not just mine, but the achievement of everyone in the country, that they can dream of reaching this level,” Ms Murmu said after taking the oath.

In India, the president is the head of state but does not have executive powers.

Members of both houses of parliament, as well as legislative assemblies from states and federally administered union territories, vote to elect him or her.

Ms Murmu defeated the opposition’s candidate, veteran politician Yashwant Sinha, with ease. Mr Sinha, who served as a senior minister in the BJP government led by then-prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the 1990s and early 2000s, is now an outspoken critic of the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ms Murmu succeeds outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind, whose term expired on July 24.

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.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 21, 2022

Ms Murmu was chosen as the BJP’s presidential candidate after a detailed discussion of 20 names considered by the BJP and its allies.

She said she found out about her nomination on television, and it “surprised” and “delighted” her.

“As a tribal woman from remote Mayurbhanj district, I had not thought about becoming the candidate for the top post,” she told media after learning of her nomination.

Odisha’s political leaders praised her nomination, calling her a “daughter of the soil.”

Kabi Vishnu Satpathy, a state party colleague who has known her since the 1980s, describes her as “straightforward and simple.”

“A compassionate woman, she’s good at heart, with no arrogance, no airs. She doesn’t show off, mixes freely with people and is humble and down-to-earth. As a politician, she knew how to take people along.”

Indian lawmakers will also vote in August to choose the country’s vice president.

The BJP has named Jagdeep Dhankar, a senior leader and former governor of West Bengal, as its candidate. The opposition is fielding Margaret Alva, a Congress veteran and former federal minister.

Droupadi Murmu first Indian tribal president takes oath

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