India on Thursday got its first-ever tribal president as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party scooped up over 60% of the total vote value in the parliament for their preferred candidate.
What Happened: Politician Draupadi Murmu sealed her win in the country's presidential election against opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha to become the country's 15th president.
At 64, she also scripted history by becoming the first Indian President to be born after the country gained independence from the British crown. Murmu will be the second woman to hold the country’s top office.
Born in the Uparbeda village of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, Murmu is not only a leader from one of the country’s poorest regions but has emerged as people’s representative.
Murmu was a teacher before turning towards politics, according to NDTV. Kicking off her stint in politics as a local councilor in Odisha, she subsequently rose to the position of a legislator and then minister in the Odisha government before becoming the president of India
She has also served as Jharkhand's governor under the BJP-led government.
The publication reported that the low-profile politician is deeply spiritual and a keen practitioner of meditation techniques. The politician took the spiritual route after losing her husband, two sons, mother, and brother in just six years between 2009-2015.
The New Indian President Has Seen Great Personal Tragedies
Congratulating the newly elected President, PM Modi took to Twitter and said: "Droupadi Murmu Ji's life, her early struggles, her rich service, and her exemplary success motivates each and every Indian. She has emerged as a ray of hope for our citizens, especially the poor, marginalized, and the downtrodden."
In an interview with the state-owned media Doordarshan in 2016, she gave a glimpse into the tumultuous period of her life when she lost her son in 2009.
"I was devastated and suffered from depression. I spent sleepless nights after my son's death. It was when I visited Brahma Kumaris, I realized I had to move on and live for my two sons and daughter," Murmu had said.
India scripts history. At a time when 1.3 billion Indians are marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a daughter of India hailing from a tribal community born in a remote part of eastern India has been elected our President!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 21, 2022
Congratulations to Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji on this feat.
Defeating all her hurdles, she continued to serve the country. Murmu as a politician, brings diverse administrative experience, having handled many ministries in the Odisha government, such as transport, commerce, fisheries, and animal husbandry.
Murmu will be sworn in as the President of India on July 25.
Check out more of Benzinga's Europe and Asia coverage by following this link.
Photo by Godlywood Studio on Wikimedia
