Droupadi Murmu (born Durgi Biranchi Tudu on June 20, 1958) is an Indian politician currently serving as the President of India since 2022. Representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), she won the 2022 presidential election, becoming the first tribal leader and the second woman, after Pratibha Patil, to hold the nation’s highest office. At 64, she also became the youngest individual to assume the presidency and the first born in independent India.

President of India
Assumed office 25 July 2022
Prime Minister	Narendra Modi
Vice President	Venkaiah Naidu Jagdeep Dhankhar
Preceded by	Ram Nath Kovind
Governor of Jharkhand
In office 18 May 2015 – 12 July 2021
Chief Ministers	Raghubar Das Hemant Soren
Preceded by	Syed Ahmed
Succeeded by	Ramesh Bais
Minister of State of Odisha
Independent Charge
In office 6 August 2002 – 16 May 2004
Chief Minister	Naveen Patnaik
Ministry	Fisheries and Animal Resources Development
In office 6 March 2000 – 6 August 2002
Chief Minister	Naveen Patnaik
Ministry	Commerce and Transport
Personal details
Born	Durgi Biranchi Tudu 20 June 1958 (age 66) Uparbeda, Mayurbhanj, Odisha, India
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse	Shyam Charan Murmu ​ ​ (m. 1980; died 2014)​
Children	3
Residence	Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi
Alma mater	Utkal University (BA)
Occupation	Politician, President of India
Profession	Teacher
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Before her presidency, Murmu was the Governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021, making her the longest-serving governor in the state's history. She also represented the Rairangpur Assembly constituency in the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 2000 to 2009 and served as Minister of State (Independent Charge) in Odisha’s government from 2000 to 2004. Prior to her political career, she worked as a clerk in the State Irrigation and Power Department (1979–1983) and later as a teacher in Rairangpur (1994–1997).

Personal Life

Droupadi Murmu was born on June 20,1958, into a Santali family in Uparbeda village, located in the Baidaposi area of Rairangpur, Odisha. Her father, Biranchi Narayan Tudu, was a farmer, and both he and her grandfather served as traditional village heads (Sarpanch) of the Gram Panchayat. Initially named Durgi Tudu after her paternal grandmother, she was affectionately called "Batti," which later became "Puti." Her school teacher later renamed her Droupadi, and over time, her name underwent multiple variations, including Durpadi and Dorpdi.

Murmu began her elementary education at a local primary school in Uparbeda. At the age of five, she moved to Bhubaneswar for further studies. She completed her secondary education at Girl's High School Unit-2 and later earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from Rama Devi Women's College.

In 1980, she married Shyam Charan Murmu (April 1, 1958 – August 1, 2014), a banker. The couple had two sons and a daughter, Itishree Murmu. Between 2009 and 2015, she endured immense personal losses, losing her husband, both sons (Sipun in a road accident and Laxman under mysterious circumstances), her mother, and a brother, all within seven years.

A devoted follower of the Brahma Kumaris spiritual movement, Murmu admires India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and has also expressed deep respect for Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar.

Early Career

Between 1979 and 1983, Droupadi Murmu worked as a junior assistant in the Irrigation Department of the Government of Odisha. Later, from 1994 to 1997, she served as a teacher at the Sri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Centre in Rairangpur, where she taught Hindi, Odia, mathematics, and geography. Notably, she never claimed a full salary for her work at the school.

Political Career

Droupadi Murmu entered politics in 1997 when she was elected as a councillor of the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat. She won the seat as an independent candidate from a women’s reserved constituency before later joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In the 2000 Odisha Legislative Assembly election, she secured a victory from the Rairangpur Assembly constituency and served two consecutive terms from 2000 to 2009. During the coalition government of the BJP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, she held ministerial roles as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Transportation from March 6, 2000, to August 6, 2002, and later as the Minister of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development from August 6, 2002, to May 16, 2004.

Recognizing her contributions, Murmu was honored with the Nilkanth Award for Best MLA in the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 2007. However, in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, she lost from the Mayurbhanj constituency following the dissolution of the BJP-BJD alliance. She continued her political journey and was elected to the BJP National Executive (ST Morcha) in 2013 while also serving as the district president until 2015.

Governor of Jharkhand (2015–2021)

Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as the Governor of Jharkhand on May 18, 2015, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She served in this role for six years, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading the Jharkhand government for most of her tenure, while the party remained in power at the central level throughout.

In 2019, she administered the oath of office to Hemant Soren as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Her tenure as governor lasted from May 2015 to July 2021, making her the longest-serving governor of the state.

Pathalgadi Movement

Between 2016 and 2017, the Raghubar Das-led Jharkhand government proposed amendments to the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act of 1949. These laws had historically safeguarded tribal land rights, restricting land transactions exclusively within tribal communities. The proposed amendments aimed to allow tribals to lease their land to the government for commercial purposes. The Jharkhand Legislative Assembly approved the amendments and sent them to Governor Droupadi Murmu for her assent in November 2016.

The proposed changes sparked intense opposition from tribal communities, leading to widespread protests under the Pathalgadi movement. Demonstrations were held against the amendments, and in one instance, tensions escalated when protesters abducted the security personnel of BJP MP Karia Munda. The police responded with a violent crackdown, which resulted in the death of a tribal protester. Additionally, criminal cases were filed against over 200 individuals, including tribal rights activist Stan Swamy.

Murmu faced criticism for not taking a stronger stance against police aggression during the protests. Activists, including Aloka Kujur, expected her to stand firmly in support of tribal rights, but instead, she appealed to the Pathalgadi leaders to trust the Constitution. Despite the criticism, Murmu received 192 memorandums opposing the amendments.

Political opposition to the bill also intensified, with Hemant Soren, then opposition leader, accusing the BJP government of attempting to benefit corporate interests by acquiring tribal land. Several parties, including the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Indian National Congress (INC), and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM), strongly opposed the amendments.

On May 24, 2017, Murmu refused to grant her assent and returned the bill to the state government along with the collected memorandums. Eventually, the proposed amendments were withdrawn in August 2017.

Religion and Land Bill

In 2017, Droupadi Murmu approved two significant bills passed by the Jharkhand Assembly: the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2017 and an amendment to the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.

Freedom of Religion Bill, 2017

This law criminalized forced religious conversions, imposing a prison sentence of up to three years for coercion or inducement to convert. If the coerced individual belonged to a Scheduled Caste or Tribe, was a minor, or a woman, the penalty increased to four years. Additionally, fines could be imposed in all cases. The bill also mandated that voluntary converts inform the Deputy Commissioner about their conversion and provide details regarding the circumstances.

Land Acquisition Act Amendments

The amendments to the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 modified the timeline and requirements for compensating tribal landowners. The revised law mandated that monetary compensation for government land acquisition be provided within six months. Furthermore, the requirement for social impact assessments was waived for certain infrastructure projects, streamlining the land acquisition process.

Presidential Campaign

In June 2022, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated Droupadi Murmu as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the 2022 Indian presidential election. The opposition parties collectively nominated Yashwant Sinha as their candidate.

During her campaign, Murmu traveled across various states, seeking support for her candidacy. Several opposition parties, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Shiv Sena (SHS), and Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)], announced their backing for her before the election.

On July 21, 2022, Murmu won the presidential election with a decisive majority, securing 676,803 electoral votes, which accounted for 64.03% of the total. She defeated Yashwant Sinha in 21 out of 28 states, including the union territory of Puducherry, becoming the 15th President of India.

Presidency (2022–Present)

Oath and Historic Firsts

On July 26, 2022, Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of India. The oath of office was administered by the 48th Chief Justice of India, N. V. Ramana, in the presence of former presidents, the vice president, the prime minister, and other dignitaries.

Murmu made history as the first individual from India’s designated tribal communities to become president. She is also the youngest person and the first president born after India's independence in 1947. Additionally, she is the second woman to hold the office after Pratibha Patil.

Key Initiatives and Public Engagements

On August 14, 2022, she delivered her first address to the nation as president on the eve of India's 75th Independence Day.

In September 2022, Murmu launched the Pradhanmantri TB Mukht Bharat initiative, a government program aimed at eradicating tuberculosis in India. She also became the first Indian president to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara, a ten-day state festival in Karnataka. In her early months in office, she visited several northeastern states, including Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim, to participate in various developmental projects.

In November 2022, Murmu visited her home state, Odisha, for the first time after assuming office. She participated in the launch of multiple government programs, visited her alma mater, interacted with schoolchildren, and walked two kilometers to offer prayers at the Puri Jagannath Temple.

Historic Flight in a Fighter Jet

In April 2023, she became the third president of India to take a historic sortie in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft at Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam. The 30-minute flight covered the Brahmaputra and Tezpur valleys as well as the Himalayan ranges. Murmu described the experience as “exhilarating.”

Parliament Inauguration Controversy

In May 2023, controversy arose when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Parliament House under the Central Vista Project. The opposition parties demanded that Murmu, as the constitutional head of state, should have presided over the ceremony and subsequently boycotted the event. Later, Murmu responded by stating that the prime minister symbolizes Parliament's trust and that she was proud and deeply satisfied with the inauguration.

Advocacy Against Crimes Against Women

In 2024, reacting to the Kolkata rape and murder incident, Murmu expressed deep anguish, stating “Enough is enough.” She strongly condemned the rising violence against women in the country and called for immediate action to ensure safety and justice.

Electoral Performance

Odisha Legislative Assembly Elections

2000 Rairangpur Assembly Election

• BJP (Droupadi Murmu) – 25,110 votes (34.15%) ✅ BJP gain from INC
• INC (Laxman Majhi) – 20,542 votes (27.93%)
• JMM (Braja Mohan Hansdah) – 10,485 votes (14.26%)
• Majority – 4,568 votes (6.21%)
• Voter Turnout – 74,997 (59.81%)

2004 Rairangpur Assembly Election

• BJP (Droupadi Murmu) – 29,295 votes (32.66%) ✅ BJP hold
• JMM (Ram Chandra Murmu) – 29,253 votes (32.62%)
• INC (Laxman Majhi) – 22,551 votes (25.14%)
• Majority – 42 votes (0.05%)
• Voter Turnout – 89,689 (68.3%)

2014 Rairangpur Assembly Election

• BJD (Saiba Sushil Kumar Hansdah) – 51,062 votes (32.72%) ✅ BJD gain from INC
• BJP (Droupadi Murmu) – 44,679 votes (22.76%)
• JMM (Purna Chandra Marndi) – 28,838 votes (18.48%)
• INC (Shyam Charan Hansdah) – 19,075 votes (12.22%)
• Majority – 15,556 votes (9.96%)
• Voter Turnout – 156,035 (74.22%)

2009 Indian General Election – Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha Constituency

• BJD (Laxman Tudu) – 256,648 votes (31.08%) ✅ BJD gain from JMM
• JMM (Sudam Marndi) – 190,470 votes (23.06%)
• BJP (Droupadi Murmu) – 150,827 votes (18.26%)
• INC (Laxman Majhi) – 140,770 votes (17.04%)
• Majority – 66,178 votes (8.02%)
• Voter Turnout – 824,754 (70.27%)

2022 Indian Presidential Election

• Droupadi Murmu (NDA) – 676,803 Electoral College votes (64.03%) ✅ President-elect
• Yashwant Sinha (United Opposition) – 380,177 Electoral College votes (35.97%)
• Valid Votes – 1,056,980 (98.89%)
• Invalid/Blank Votes – 15,397 (1.11%)
• Total Votes Cast – 1,072,377
• Registered Voters / Turnout – 1,086,431 (98.86%)

Awards and Honors

• Suriname 🇸🇷 – Honorary Order of the Yellow Star, Grand Order Chain (June 5, 2023)
• Fiji 🇫🇯 – Order of Fiji, Companion (August 6, 2024)
• East Timor 🇹🇱 – Order of Timor-Leste, Grand Collar (August 10, 2024)

References