President Droupadi Murmu: Women's Empowerment Crucial For Economic Development
"Hello, Madam President", was the sentiment of every Indian when in July 2022 former Jharkhand Governor and NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu was elected the 15th President of India.
When Murmu took charge as the first citizen of the country, she brought hope to millions of women out there that there is nothing that they cannot achieve.
Interestingly, she become the first tribal woman in India to be elected to the position and the youngest as well. Born on 20 June 1958, Murmu hails from Rairangpur in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.
Notably, after finishing college, she worked as an Odisha Irrigation Department class-III employee.
Prior to joining the political arena, Murmu was an educator. She was an assistant professor at the Shri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Institute, Rairangpur. She served as the Rairangpur Assembly representative in the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 2000 to 2009 and held a variety of positions in the state government. She served as an MLA for Rairangpur from 2000 to 2009 and held several positions in the Odisha government.
President Murmu believes that women's empowerment is not just an issue of social justice but it is also crucial for economic development. "The low participation of women in the workforce is a major hindrance in the overall development of our country. India is the fifth largest economy in the world and now moving towards becoming a five trillion-dollar economy. A more active role of women would be helpful in achieving this goal," she says.
Speaking about gender discrimination, she says that even today the situation of gender-ratio in many parts of the country is worrying. Sad examples of female foeticide are also seen in well-educated parts of the country.
However, her personal life was not as colourful as her high-profile political career as she experienced several grave losses (her husband and two sons died in 2014). Hence, a strong-headed Murmu dedicated herself to relieving the misery of others.
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