From Tribal Land To Raisina Hill: New Book On Droupadi Murmu Traces Her Inspiring Journey

‘Johar!’ began President Droupadi Murmu’s first presidential address. That word, a tribal greeting, marked a milestone in the history of the nation and a new direction in its politics.

Droupadi Murmu: From Tribal Hinterlands to Raisina Hills encapsulates the journey of a tribal girl who defied all odds to grow up into an institution signifying resilience, determination and grit. Charting a path less travelled, Murmu carved out many firsts, right from stepping out of the nondescript village Uparbeda in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha to becoming the First Citizen of India.

Through interviews and detailed analysis, journalist Kasturi Ray tracks Murmu’s life, following her through school and college, from being a teacher to social worker, councillor to minister, from taking charge as the governor of Jharkhand to becoming the president—a tale of incredible resilience and dedication to service.

In the seventy-fifth year of Independence, when the nation celebrated Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, she was chosen to lead the country, raising the hopes of millions of the downtrodden, tribals and women. The book traces her footprints in the sands of time as a fighter, believer and winner and narrates an inspiring journey.

Here's an excerpt of Droupadi Murmu From Tribal Hinterlands to Raisina Hill

Before Murmu left for Ranchi , she began an important project. Having faced problems in getting educated due to the absence of higher education institutes in her native place, Murmu decided to give a good turn to the lives of tribal children who continue to be deprived of good schools.

After her husband’s demise, there was no one left to care for the landed property in her in-laws’ village of Pahadpur. Murmu had been contemplating starting a school for the less privileged from the tribal pockets of the state. With a group of supporters, who were also active members of the BJP, she sat and discussed how to take her plan forward.

After months of preparation and arrangement of infrastructure, she decided to open the school without further delay and wanted admissions to begin. She decided to start classes in Shyam Charan’s existing house. The members discussed when finances could be arranged and renovation and construction be taken up, provided the student strength grew.

After her selection as governor, though she was away in Ranchi, people back home oversaw the construction and other requisites of the school. In 2016, the Shyam, Laxman, Sipun (SLS) Memorial Residential School, in memory of her husband and two sons, was finally opened for admissions on the 4.5-acre land in Pahadpur.

Around 5 km from Balbhadrapur, en route to Rairangpur from Jashipur Chhak, there are clear directions towards Murmu Square. From there, the pointers at every junction direct visitors to the school. After another 5 km, a bust of Shyam Charan Murmu just outside the school welcomes you. The premises have a large gate. Once you enter the gate, you see hostels for boys and girls on either side.

A few steps forward take you to the classrooms for Classes 6 to 10. Exactly in the middle is a well-manicured garden space that is barricaded and has life-like busts of Shyam Charan, Laxman and Sipun. Keeping the memory of Murmu’s near and dear ones alive, the statues remind everyone of how the challenges of her life have taken the shape of opportunities for less privileged children.

Presently, a total of eighty-one students are enrolled in the residential school. There are around ten full-time teachers and a headmaster besides a caretaker. The school is affiliated to the Board of Secondary Education, Government of Odisha. There are others to take care of the hostel affairs as well.

The classrooms are sparkling clean with tiled floors, tables and chairs, stationery, books and other requisite items. The Indian Oil Corporation, too, donated Rs 68 lakh to the school in 2019 for its development.

Since the school is close to Murmu’s heart and she has sculpted it step by step, people in Pahadpur say that she seems the happiest when she is on campus. Prior to her term in Ranchi, she used to visit the place frequently to oversee the preparations and, after the school opened, she made it a point to go there at regular intervals. She personally monitored the facilities and ensured that the students got the best of education. She spent a fair amount of time with the students discussing their studies.

‘The last time she visited the school was on 13 June 2022 when she spent the entire day with us. When here, she also eats with the children and interacts with them,’ said Narayan Hansda, the hostel in-charge who also doubles as the clerk. There is an admission fee for the school for general candidates, but the SC and ST students can enrol and study for free.

Every year, on her husband’s death anniversary on 1 August, Murmu spends the day at the school. A puja is organized and special food is prepared for students and villagers. It is usually her associates and party members, like Ram or former Bank of India official Ishwar Mishra, who oversee the arrangements on the death anniversary of Shyam Charan in her absence.

However, in 2022, she had to be in New Delhi and could not attend the function. Whenever she had problems attending the event, she would depute some responsible family or friends to arrange everything for the ritualistic observation of the day.

A student of the SLS Memorial School said:

‘Fix your eyes and heart on the goal so much so that you do not have time to waste’, she would say. She teaches us general knowledge and science and interacts with us whenever she is here. Didi (as the students fondly refer to her) gives us life lessons and her life is so inspiring that when we hear the stories, we are inspired to do something good for our motherland.

Even when she was the governor, she would sit with them and teach. That is something special that the children of the school remember with fondness.

Munna Pratihari, who has been the vice president of the SLS Memorial School since its establishment, lives on the school premises and looks after its management. Speaking of the selection criteria, he said that those students whose scores are below 30 per cent are usually given preference for admission in the school. That is the motto, he asserted. ‘We try to enhance the academic standard of the below-average students and bring them at par with other students. It is heartening that all the twenty students of the school in Class 10 secured first division last year,’ said Pratihari with a sense of pride.

‘The decision to set up a school was taken when Didi and I sat together to weigh and judge if we could bring an institution to life and continue it for all times to come,’ he said. ‘The logo of the school was designed by Iti (Itishree Murmu). Didi normally visits the school at least four times or more every year,’ he explained.

Murmu is directly involved in all the decision-making of the institution, which is why, these days, due to her hectic schedule and protocol, Pratihari goes to meet her in New Delhi. ‘She is unique and exceptional. In spite of achieving every honour and position in life and braving all challenges, she remains down to earth and humble, and that is an inspiration,’ he said.

Excerpted with permission from ‘Droupadi Murmu: From Tribal Hinterland to Raisina Hill' by Kasturi Ray; and published by Rupa Publications. You can also join SheThePeople’s Book Club on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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