Odisha celebrates daughter Droupadi Murmu’s rise as 15th President of India

RAIRANGPUR: The cry of jubilation that pierced the air could well have travelled to faraway Delhi, where Droupadi Murmu had just been confirmed as India’s next President.
From an Adivasi to India’s First Citizen, Droupadi’s journey has been one of breaking stereotypes and scaling peaks in the face of adversity. Having languished for long on the fringes of society, this was a triumph for the tribal communities in India.

Today, the tribal village of Uperbeda, where Droupadi was born, Pahadpur where she got married, and Rairangpur town from where she started her political career as a ward councillor in Mayurbhanj district as well as the entire state of Odisha, have risen in unison to celebrate her indomitable spirit, the spark of which was sown as a 13-year-old, when she left her village and travelled to distant Bhubaneswar for higher studies in 1971, then an unthinkable move for many.
“Everybody in the community feels it is our achievement,” said Saraswati Tudu, a relative of Droupadi who danced to the tunes of tribal music in front of Droupadi’s ancestral home. Her extended family, stepmother Jawa, sister-in-law Chudamani, nephews Tularam and Biranchi and their wives Dulari and Jas mine were seen dancing on the street.
Tribals in general and the Santhal community in particular, to which Droupadi belongs, began a long-drawn festive season which will continue till her swearing-in on Monday and may also stretch beyond. Community feasts were organised at multiple locations while “bundi ladoos (sweets)” were distributed among people and crackers were burst like it was Diwali.
It’s not just a personal feat for Droupadi, the sense of achievement could be felt among average Odias on the street and across the political spectrum, since, for the first time, a state native has been elevated to Raisina Hill.
“I have never seen a President from up close. But I know Droupadi so well. She is so affable and like a daughter. Whenever she visits the village next, I will tell her that now I know the President of India,” said Malati
Patra (80), a native of Rairangpur. People didn’t wait for the results to be declared for revelries to begin, convinced that Droupadi’s elevation was a foregone conclusion.
Across the state, the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD celebrated her success much the same way as principal rival BJP. “It’s indeed a very proud moment for everyone in Odisha,” part of a congratulatory tweet by Naveen read. Politicians joined traditional tribal dance groups at the state BJP and BJD headquarters and other places to shake a leg.
Even Congress leaders, who voted against her, described her elevation as a moment of pride and glory for the entire state. “I definitely share the feelings of an average Odia. It is a glorious moment for the state. I am sure with her vast political experience, Droupadi will make a great President and work for the uplift of the people she represents,” said Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra.