Droupadi Murmu took office as India’s first president from a tribal community – which makes up about 8% of India’s 1.4 billion people. Born in the Santhal tribe, Murmu was the first woman in her village to go to college. She was a teacher before getting involved in politics, and as governor of her home state of Odisha, she has been vocal about issues among marginalized tribes. The Adivasi, or indigenous people in India have long been at the bottom of the country’s socioeconomic ladder, facing physical, sexual and economic exploitation. Murmu follows outgoing president Ram Nath Kovind, who was the 2nd ever president from the Dalit caste - the lowest caste often referred to as untouchables. She is the 2nd woman ever to be president in India, and both the youngest and first president born after India’s independence. Murmu is by the BJP – the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She claims she won the election by almost double the number of votes against the opposition candidate, Yashwant Sinha, an outspoken critic of the Prime Minister. Meanwhile,others say she only won by a small margin, andis being used by the BJP tosecure the indigenous vote in 2024. Indian Presidents do not have the executive powers of the Prime Minister, but are expected to play a key role in political crises, such as when a general election is inconclusive.
Droupadi Murmu took office as India’s first president from a tribal community – which makes up about 8% of India’s 1.4 billion people. Born in the Santhal tribe, Murmu was the first woman in her village to go to college. She was a teacher before getting involved in politics, and as governor of her home state of Odisha, she has been vocal about issues among marginalized tribes. The Adivasi, or indigenous people in India have long been at the bottom of the country’s socioeconomic ladder, facing physical, sexual and economic exploitation. Murmu follows outgoing president Ram Nath Kovind, who was the 2nd ever president from the Dalit caste - the lowest caste often referred to as untouchables. She is the 2nd woman ever to be president in India, and both the youngest and first president born after India’s independence. Murmu is by the BJP – the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She claims she won the election by almost double the number of votes against the opposition candidate, Yashwant Sinha, an outspoken critic of the Prime Minister. Meanwhile,others say she only won by a small margin, andis being used by the BJP tosecure the indigenous vote in 2024. Indian Presidents do not have the executive powers of the Prime Minister, but are expected to play a key role in political crises, such as when a general election is inconclusive.
.png)
.png)
.jpeg)
