This article was updated on 22 July 2022.

Droupadi Murmu scripted history on Thursday as she was declared the 15th President of India. She bagged votes from 2,824 electors, which included 540 MPs, while Opposition candidate and former union minister Yashwant Sinha got the votes of 1,877 electors, which included 208 MPs.

Secretary General of Rajya Sabha and Returning Officer PC Mody declared her the President and handed over the certificate to Murmu on Thursday night.

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, visited the new President and congratulated her on Thursday night.

Met Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji and congratulated her. pic.twitter.com/ALdJ3kWSLj
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 21, 2022

She is the first tribal leader to be made President, and the first President from Odisha. Her hometown Rairangpur celebrated the milestone with music and dance, shared ANI.

#WATCH | Odisha: Locals in Rairangpur, the native place of President-designate #DroupadiMurmu cheerfully celebrate her victory in the Presidential elections (21.07) pic.twitter.com/KeckdHsRTl
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022

Here are 10 things to know about Droupadi Murmu:

1. She was born on 20 June 1958 in Baidaposi village of Mayurbhanj district and belongs to the Santhal community. She worked as a teacher before entering politics and was a junior assistant in the Irrigation and Power Department.

2. She joined the BJP in 1997 and was elected as a councillor. She served as an MLA in the Odisha Legislative Assembly twice. She served as Minister of State.

3. In 2007, she was bestowed the Nilakantha Award for Best MLA by the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

4. She was Jharkhand’s first female Governor and the first Odia tribal leader to be made Governor of any state. She was also the first Jharkhand Governor to complete the entire term in the state.

5. She has served as the National Executive Member and State President of the BJP’s ST Morcha. She has held several important positions in the BJP.

6. She has faced a lot of tragedy in her personal life. She lost her husband Shyam Charan Murmu and two sons.

7. She also taught at the Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre in Rairangpur as an honorary assistant teacher.

8. She is the first President to be born in Independent India.

9. As Governor, she did not pass the BJP government’s bills to amend land tenancy acts in Jharkhand. She had returned the bills that were opposed by Tribals.

10. She is the first tribal President and the second woman President of Independent India.

Sources: 

‘Draupadi Murmu: A Seasoned Santal Leader With Many Firsts to Her Name | All About NDA’s Presidential Nominee’; Published on 21 June 2022 courtesy News18

‘Who’s Draupadi Murmu, the NDA’s presidential candidate?’ Published on 21 June 2022; courtesy The Indian Express

‘Droupadi Murmu: 10 things to know about NDA’s presidential nominee’  Published on 22 June 2022; courtesy The Indian Express

‘Know Droupadi Murmu, the NDA Presidential candidate‘: Published on 22 June 2022, courtesy The Tribune India 

Edited by Team TBI

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