Droupadi Murmu's village wants prosperity for her as President

Rairangpur (Odisha): As Dharanisen Tudu and his wife Sukri Tudu leave for New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the county's first tribal president Droupadi Murmu on Monday, the people in her Upabeda village are praying for her prosperity.

Dharanisen is the brother of President-elect Droupadi Murmu, who lives along with his family at Uparbeda village, about 20 kilometres from Rairangpur in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.

Though the residents of Uperbeda village are poor, they are highly satisfied that Murmu has made them proud. Her being sworn in as the President of India in the 75th year of Independence has added to their joy.

Most of the residents of Uparbeda, her birthplace, and Pahadpur, her in-laws' house, have basic facilities like electricity, drinking water, phone service, schools, hospitals and others. They just want Murmu to earn a separate and unique identity for herself and the state as the President.

“We pray for her prosperity more than anything else,” said Saunta Majhi, an elderly priest of the Santhal community.

“Is not it sufficient for us to remain satisfied? Human wants are unlimited. Every girl and woman of our village and the tribal community have now gained confidence which no government or leader can do,” said Chandramani Hansda, a 25-year-old mother of one.

However, when insisted that they say what they want from the new President for the village, a number of suggestions were put forth.

A group of boys and girls said that they need a college at Uparbeda as they have to travel at least 5 kilometres to go to the nearby institute of higher learning.

Some women said that they have a government public health centre (PHC), but not a full-time doctor or a female nurse there.

Women are reluctant to go for institutional delivery due to the lack of a female nurse at the hospital, pointed out Jamuna Hembram, the Sarpanch of Uparbeda Gram Panchayat.

She said a skill development centre for youths may help check large-scale migration from the village.

A pregnant woman, who did not want to be identified said that if she gives birth to a girl, her name will be “Droupadi”.

Sukhlal Murmu, who is two years senior to Droupadi Murmu at the Government Upper Primary School, said, “We have roads, schools, a hospital and phones in the village. If she wants, we will like to have a dam on the natural spring to irrigate our agricultural fields. Our cultivation mostly depends on rain.” The headmaster of the President-elect’s school, Manoranjan Murmu, also said they do not want any major project.

“We want better infrastructure for the school. It should be made a model school. We will name a classroom after Droupadi Murmu when its construction is completed,” he said.

Villagers said Uparbeda and Pahadpur have bank kiosks and a full-fledged bank branch is required.