Meet Draupadi Murmu, touted to be country’s first tribal woman President

Jharkhand Governor and prominent tribal community woman leader from Odisha, Draupadi Murmu could be the surprise choice of Narendra Modi-led BJP government to replace President Pranab Mukherjee when his term ends in July.

Draupadi Murmu's candidature is being considered over veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi for the country's top post, it is learnt. If her candidature is finalised, among her many firsts, she will be seen as a symbol of empowerment of millions of tribals in the country.  

Draupadi may not be one of those "always-in-the-news" women leaders in BJP but the one who prefers to work away from the glaring lights of media.  With an impressive clean record in her 20 years of political career, she has been the minister of (independent charge) Commerce and transport and also handled fisheries and animal resources portfolio in Naveen Patnaik-led BJP coalition government.

In fact, she is the first tribal woman to become the Governor of Jharkhand and is perhaps the youngest Governor in the nation. Born in June 1958, Draupadi holds a degree in Bachelors of Arts from Rama Devi Women's College, Bhubhaneshwar.

Before joining politics, she served as the honorary assistant teacher in Shri Aravindo Integral Education and Research, Rairangpur, Odisha and also as a junior assistant in Irrigation department, reports IndiaTomorrow.

She made her political debut when she was elected as the vice-chairperson of Rairangpur Notified Area Council. She was later made the vice president of Odisha ST wing of BJP. She went on to win the State Assembly elections on BJP ticket from Rairangpur and was a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government.

Reports suggest that Draupadi is very soft-spoken and has worked tremendously to uplift her community.

In one of her interviews, after she was chosen as the Governor of Jharkhand she had said, "I have witnessed many ups and downs in life. I have lost my two sons and my husband. I was completely devastated. But God has given me the strength to continue to serve the people." Her only daughter Ithishree Murmu is married.