Students of school she runs get an icon, co-villagers optimism for turnaround

About 20 km away at Pahadpur village where a Trust set up by Murmu runs a residential school — Shyamcharan-Lakshman-Sippun (SLS) School — students and teachers, too, were all-eyes-and-ears as she delivered the maiden speech being the constitutional head of the country.

The SLS School in Kusumi block of Mayurbhanj district, which was established in 2016, remains one of the most sought-after educational institutions for the poor tribal as well non-tribal families. Murmu often visits the school as the project is close to her heart because it has been named after her deceased husband and two sons. Her daughter Itishree Murmu looks after the operations of the school through the Trust.

Hemanand Giri, one of the teachers, said: “This school is a reflection of what our President said in her speech. She started this school to help the children of the poor. Most of the students here come from poor backgrounds, but they belong to all communities. We charge only meagre amount from students.”

Pahadpur is Murmu’s in-laws’ village, which is around 13 km away from her birthplace, Uparbeda village, also in the same block.

Satish Chandra Pratihaari, SLS School manager, said since the day of the announcement of her candidature for the Presidential election, the environment at the school has been festive.

“The students are elated. They want to be like her – down to earth, simple, and caring. Murmu used to sow paddy in her fields and would also get engaged in the harvesting. She is rooted to the culture,” he said.

Murmu also owns some acres of land in Pahadpur and grows paddy. Pratihaari said before her name was announced for the Presidential polls Murmu was in the village to oversee the harvesting of around 60 quintals of paddy, which was sold to a primary agriculture cooperative society (PACS). “However, there was a little glitch… she had undergone a cataract surgery and her biometric details had changed and she had to make her Aadhaar card again to complete the process for sale of the produce. Imagine a person going to Raisina Hills doing all these things,” he said.

Uparbeda panchayat mukhiya Jamuna Hembrem said the whole village is anxiously waiting for Murmu’s visit. Another resident, Manohar Behra, who is a lecturer at a college in Mayurbhanj district, said people’s expectations have grown since Murmu’s elevation. “Now that she is our President, hopefully, the problems people of this area face will be solved. We have high hopes, and trust her. The electricity has reached the village and nearly 20 households are awaiting a connection.”