No end to celebration in Odisha with Droupadi Murmu becoming 15th President of India

People of Rairangpur, the new president’s native, celebrate the occasion with dancing on the streets

Celebrations don’t seem to stop in Odisha especially in Mayurbhanj district with Droupadi Murmu, its own daughter of soil, administered as the 15th President of India on Monday.

Giant television screens were put up at Rairangpur and students were invited to watch Ms. Murmu being sworn in as new head of Indian State. People across the State stayed glued to television from early in the morning while dancers hit the street to celebrate the occasion.

“This is a defining moment in India’s history when a tribal woman from remote part went on to become the State head. This is time to celebrate and preserve the moment for future,” said Kabita Soren, a resident of Rairangpur.

Villages after village in tribal heartland of Odisha have been celebrating Ms. Murmu’s elevation to the top post ever since her nomination on June 21. Tribespeople paid obeisance to their deities at their respective traditional places of worships, for the blessing bestowed on their own daughter.

When Ms Murmu narrated her journey from a small Odisha tribal village where getting elementary education was a dream in her first address as President, students and people cheered the achievement with continuous applause. People also praised her struggle when she said despite many obstacles, her determination remained strong and she became the first daughter of the village to go to college.

While community feasts were hosted and dance performances were organised in Uparbeda, native village of Ms. Murmu, and Pahadpur, husband’s village, for a number of occasions, focus shifted to Dumuria in Jamda block of Mayurbhanj, President’s maternal uncle’s village, on Monday.

Members of family, villages, local legislators, Members of Parliament called back home describing their experience of witnessing the historic moment in person.