By Sanjay Raman Sinha
“I belong to a tribal society, and I have got the opportunity to become the President of India (starting from being) the ward councillor. This is the greatness of India, the mother of democracy. I want all our sisters and daughters to be empowered more and more so they continue to increase their contribution in every field of the country.”
These were the words of President Droupadi Murmu as she delivered her first speech at the Central Hall of Parliament as President of India after being elected as the 15th President. These were not mere words; they were echoes from the depth of her being. The nation stood witness to the grand spectacle of democracy where a young tribal girl from an impoverished family took the world by its horns and made a place for herself at the highest office of the country. Yet, as she rose from a state gubernatorial post to the highest one in the land, she never lost touch with her roots. Never did she lose her empathy; not once did she lose her humbleness.
President Murmu’s commitment to social justice, equality, access to justice, social upliftment and inclusive development is unparalleled. Schooled by raw ground realities of life and with close encounters with deprivation and injustices, her empathy for the underprivileged has only increased; her commitment to the poor remains fiery as ever.
“Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of an inclusive India must guide our actions. We must ensure that Dalits and all marginalized communities are integral parts of our growth story,” she had said.
President Murmu has revered the Constitution of India as the nation’s guiding light and along its ideals has addressed the most pressing challenge of our times: communal harmony. Asserting the primacy of identity as citizens of India, she exhorted: “Let us move forward with the spirit of harmony and brotherhood to realise the dreams of our nation-builders.”
As a votary of inclusive growth President Murmu had tirelessly advocated economic growth that creates employment opportunities and social upliftment of the poor and the marginalized. She said with conviction: “If a single community is excluded from the development of the country, then we cannot call it inclusive growth of a nation.”
As a teacher and mother she has a special place in her heart for children. At the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (national children awards) she cautioned children against misuse of technology: “Social media, while a powerful tool for communication and awareness, is also misused for spreading rumours. Therefore, it is essential to stay vigilant and avoid such activities as a wrong step can jeopardise your future,” he told the children.
Droupadi Murmu became President at the cusp of history. She acknowledges it by saying: “It is a great privilege for me to be given this responsibility at such a historic time when India is gearing up to achieve its vision for the next 25 years.”
She never was a lady of the ivory tower; as President she threw open the gates of Rashtrapati Bhavan to the people more than ever before. Her interaction with the masses was also significantly increased. She notes: “I am happy to note that in the last two years, many such decisions have been taken which has increased the engagement of common people with Rashtrapati Bhavan.”
President Murmu also opened the Pranab Mukherjee Library for the general public. This library was earlier available only for employees of Rashtrapati Bhavan and people living inside the President’s Estate. Now it is open for one and all.
The President has moved along with the times. She has launched various digital initiatives. Her social media cell works round the clock, updating her work in the digital universe. The President’s activities are updated constantly on X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Commendable digitization work is being done in Rashtrapati Bhavan which is increasing convenience, speed, transparency and accountability.
As President of India Droupadi Murmu has travelled widely across the country. She has also travelled abroad to enhance India’s global outreach and footprint. (See box)
As the head of the Indian State she receives foreign dignitaries. President Murmu visited United Kingdom in 2022, and went on State Visits to Suriname and Serbia in 2023. President Droupadi Murmu became the first Indian to receive Suriname’s highest distinction, the ‘Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star’ and she dedicated this honour to the successive generations of the Indian-Surinamese community. Recently President Droupadi Murmu was conferred Fiji’s highest honour, the ‘Companion of the Order of Fiji’ by President Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere.
As head of the state she has added warmth and understanding in international relationships. President Droupadi Murmu’s commitments and concerns has made her one of the most revered and loved Presidents in recent times.
THE PRESIDENT AT SPECIAL EVENTS
- November 2022: Attended the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, representing India and participating in discussions on global economic policies and climate change.
- January 2023: Presided over the Republic Day celebrations, delivering the address and inspecting the parade.
- February 2023: Attended the BRICS Summit, engaging in dialogues on economic cooperation and geopolitical issues.
- March 2023: Participated in the International Women’s Day celebrations, highlighting women’s empowerment and gender equality.
- April 2023: Inaugurated the new session of the Indian Parliament, addressing both houses.
- May 2023: Attended the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) Summit, focusing on regional security and development.
- June 2023: Visited the United Nations Headquarters in New York, addressing the General Assembly on global peace and sustainable development.
- July 2023: Marked her first year in office with a reflection on achievements and future goals for the nation.
- September 2023: President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed G20 leaders and delegates at Bharat Mandapam.
- June 2024 : Addressing both Houses of Parliament in the first session after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
- August 2024 : Address at the Parliament of Fiji. Accorded highest honour of Fiji.
- August 2024 : Official visit to New Zealand.
A Governor Like No Other
Close associates of President Droupadi Murmu cherish and reminisce about their times with her:
“When Madam Droupadi Murmu was the governor of Jharkhand, I was the state education minister. It was my good fortune that I got the opportunity to meet her many times. As she was the chancellor, I as the education minister used to discuss shortcomings in the education system and ways to bring about positives changes. She honestly wanted to transform the education system for good and inspired and guided me to bring the much-desired revamping. I am yet to see a governor who goes to educational institutions to see the state of affairs. Since she had been a teacher, it made her concerned about education. As I kept interacting with her, I was deeply touched by her simplicity. She used to visit poor girl students on a regular basis and check on their hostels and other facilities provided to them. She used to call on principals and hold meetings with them and take their opinion on ways to better the education system and facilities.”
—Dr Neera Yadav, BJP MLA, Koderma, Former Education Minister of Jharkhand
“Our relationship with Madam Droupadi Murmu has become like that of brother and sister. She used to share all her thoughts with me with ease. Her commitment to the Adivasis and their issues was very strong. She would often visit remote jungles and mountainous areas and think deeply about every issue. She had a visionary and empathetic outlook. Madam Murmu felt deeply for the poor. She visited Kasturba schools in Jharkhand to see the conditions of the children and interacted with students in Adivasi hostels. She visited Bishunpur many times. Madam Murmu also had a strong connection with the environment and was a non-political woman with a deep understanding of politics. She had a constructive approach and openly expressed her views on various matters. Given the critical position of Jharkhand at that time, she played her role exceptionally well. She managed to address issues while keeping in mind the interests of the government and the party. She also maintained good relations with the Opposition—that was her nature.”
—Padmashri Ashok Bhagat, Secretary, Vikas Bharti, Bishunpur
“When Madam Droupadi Murmu was the governor in Ranchi, she asked me to start a Swachh Bharat campaign for her as well. On my request, she came to Dhobi Ghat, a tribal and slum area. She went there and swept the entire slum area. This created a sense of responsibility among the people. They felt that if a governor could sweep the roads, they should do it too; the people became very aware. The second cleanliness drive programme was organised right in front of the Governor’s House. Madam visited each shop, spoke with shopkeepers and raised cleanliness awareness among them. She exhorted them not to use polythene bags. A women vegetable-seller tried to gift her vegetables, but she refused to take it for free and paid for it. This shows her integrity. I will narrate another incident. It is believed that Lord Hanuman was born in Anjan Dham in Gumla. When Madam visited that place, she noticed that tribals come to worship there. She decided to develop the site. Today, a temple and accommodation have been built, and people from all over Jharkhand come to visit it.”
—Asha Lakda, Member, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Former Mayor, Ranchi
“I am very fortunate that during the tenure of Governor Droupadi Murmu, I got the opportunity to work in the university. I have never seen a governor like her. She did splendid work for the state. Her focus was on betterment of society, wealth creation and education. As a chancellor, her special focus was in the field of education. She used to take meetings to deliberate on the progress in education and for career growth of children. So change was seen during her time. As a president, she is now giving direction. I salute her and hope that she takes the nation forward the same way she took Jharkhand ahead.”
—Dr HP Sharma, Former Pro-Vice Chancellor Sido Kanhu Murmu University, Dumka