New Delhi/Bhubaneawar, July 25: Odisha on Monday scripted history as State’s daughter Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of India.
Murmu was sworn in as the President by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice NV Ramana at an impressive ceremony in the packed and historic Central Hall of the Parliament.
Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all Union Ministers, several Chief Ministers, including Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik attended the swearing-in ceremony.
This was also a historic occasion as the country got its first tribal President.
Murmu is the second woman to occupy the country’s highest constitutional post.
“I belong to tribal society. I have got the opportunity to rise from serving as a ward councillor to becoming the President of India. This is the greatness of India, the mother of democracy,” said Murmu in her first address after being sworn in by the CJI.
“That I attained the post of President is not my personal achievement, it is the achievement of every poor person in India. My election is a proof of the fact that the poor in India can have dreams and fulfil them too,” said the President.
On the other hand, celebrations reached its peak as people came out in the streets and danced as Murmu took over as 15th President of India in New Delhi.
From Murmu’s native village Uparbeda, her late husband Shyam Charan Murmu’s village Pahadpur, her township Rairangpur, State capital Bhubaneswar and many other parts of the State witnessed people dancing on the streets distributing sweets to mark the occasion.
In her first speech as President, Murmu greeted the country ‘with Juhar,’ the way people in Odisha villages generally greet each other, with hands folded.
