Droupadi Murmu

Droupadi Murmu (born 20 June 1958) is the 15th and current President of India, serving since 25 July 2022. She is the first person from a tribal community and the second woman to hold the office of President of India. Born in a Santali tribal family in Uparbeda village of Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, Murmu overcame immense poverty and personal tragedies to rise to the highest constitutional post in the country. Murmu began her career as a school teacher before entering state politics. She was elected as a councillor in the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat in 1997 and later served as a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 2000 to 2009. During this period, she held several ministerial positions in the Odisha state government, including Minister of State for Commerce and Transport, and Minister of State for Fisheries and Animal Resources Development. She was known for her grassroots approach and commitment to education and tribal welfare. In 2015, Murmu was appointed as the Governor of Jharkhand, becoming the first woman to hold that position. As Governor, she championed the cause of tribal rights and vetoed controversial amendments to land acquisition laws that would have displaced tribal communities. Her tenure as Governor was widely praised for her integrity and commitment to protecting the rights of marginalized communities. In July 2022, Murmu was nominated by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as their candidate for President of India. She won the presidential election defeating opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha, securing over 64% of the electoral votes. Her victory was seen as a historic moment for India's tribal communities, who constitute about 8.6% of the population. As President, Murmu has continued to advocate for education, women's empowerment, and tribal welfare. She is the first President born after India's independence and the youngest person to occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's House).