Rairangpur: President Droupadi Murmu Friday turned emotional as she danced with tribal women while visiting her birthplace Uparbeda village in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district and said she never considered the village as just a place but as a family, reflecting her deep emotional connection with her roots.
Murmu, born into a Santali family in Uparbeda village under the Bamanghati sub-division on June 20, 1958, visited her village and ancestral home for the first time after assuming the highest Constitutional post in the country. She became the President on July 25, 2022.
Upon arriving in her village, President Murmu immediately visited Uparbeda Government Upper Primary School, her alma mater, where she had spent her early years as a student. The school and the entire village were beautifully decorated to welcome her, and she was received warmly by teachers, students, and villagers.
As Murmu approached her ancestral home, women from her Santali community, dressed in traditional attire, greeted her with joyous dances to the rhythm of Santali songs, following their cultural traditions.
Overcome with joy and excitement, Murmu joined the women in their traditional folk dance, as the villagers cheered her on. After dancing, she visited the shrine of the village deity to offer her prayers.
At her school, the President interacted with students and shared a heartfelt moment. “I am 66 years old and do not feel like growing up,” she said. “Still, I feel like a child here, at my school and village. I recall how our teachers used to teach us in mud-walled classrooms.”
President Murmu also expressed deep gratitude towards her teachers and the villagers, saying they have always treated her like a family member, never as an outsider.
“I still remember the days when I was preparing for the class-7 scholarship examination. Our teacher, Madan Mohan Sir, took me into his family, and I lived with his children while preparing for the exam. The love and affection I received from this village and school are heavenly,” she shared.
She further recalled teachers like Basant Sir, Biswembar Mohanta, and others who had witnessed her childhood. The President expressed her heartfelt thanks to the land of Uparbeda and the teachers whose blessings have guided her to reach the position she holds today.
At a special function, President Murmu honoured her teachers—Bisheswar Mohanta, the headmaster of her school; Basudev Behere, her class teacher; and Basanta Kumar Giri, her class teacher in classes 4 and 5. She also gifted school bags containing chocolates and tiffin boxes to around 200 students of Uparbeda Upper Primary School.
Visiting her school campus was a nostalgic and emotional moment for Murmu. In her speech, she encouraged the students to study sincerely and follow the guidance of their teachers, parents, and elders in the village. She emphasised the importance of unity among students, teachers, and the community.
Reflecting on her childhood, President Murmu recalled, “In our days, I studied with a lantern that had a broken glass, and it was difficult to arrange a good pen to write. My frock often got ink stains from the pen. However, I never lost hope.”
Ahead of her visit, the entire village was beautifully decorated. Odisha’s Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ramsingh Khuntia oversaw the preparations. “The President is visiting her birthplace for the first time since assuming the highest office. The entire area is thrilled and proud to see her,” said Khuntia.
The villagers went all out in preparing for President Murmu’s visit, not only cleaning the village and repainting their houses but also performing traditional tribal dances to welcome her. The roads were adorned with ‘jhooti’ (Rangoli), and her relatives baked various traditional cakes, including ‘arisa’ and ‘manda pitha’, as well as rice and saga delicacies.
After the village programme, she flagged off an ambulance donated by SLS School, a charitable unit, to Rairangpur sub-divisional hospital. She also interacted with students and teachers of Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Rairangpur.
In her address to the gathering of girl students, teachers, and local residents, Murmu acknowledged the challenges faced by the college. “As this is the only women’s college in the Rairangpur area, I have always worked for its development and will continue to do so,” she said. The students and teachers were thrilled to speak directly with the President.
Murmu also visited the Poorneswar Shiv Temple in Rairangpur to offer prayers before heading to her residence.
On Saturday, the President is scheduled to visit Bangiriposhi, where she will lay the foundation stone for three railway projects. To ensure her security, 40 platoons of police force have been deployed in the Uparbeda and Rairangpur areas during her visit.
PTI
Droupadi Murmu, President of India
