President Droupadi Murmu Turns 68: From Odisha’s Tribal Heartland to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Today marks the birthday of India’s incumbent and 15th President, Droupadi Murmu. She was born on June 20, 1958, in Baidaposi village, located in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Her father’s name was Biranchi Narayan Tudu. President Droupadi Murmu has also been a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She is the second woman to serve as the President of India, following former President Pratibha Patil. Additionally, she has been honored with the title of ‘Prabuddha Mahila Samrat’ (Enlightened Woman Empress) by the Prabuddha Samiti. President Droupadi Murmu is the second person from Odisha to hold the office of President and is the youngest President in the country’s history. Notably, she is the first President of India to have been born after the country gained independence. Prior to assuming the presidency, she served in various portfolios within the Odisha state government’s cabinet between 2000 and 2004 and also served as the 9th Governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021. Both President Droupadi Murmu’s grandfather and father served as the village head (Pradhan). She was married to Shyam Charan Murmu, and they had two sons and a daughter. Tragically, her husband and both sons met with untimely deaths at different times; her daughter is married and resides in Bhubaneswar. Droupadi Murmu began her career as a teacher before gradually entering the field of politics. She embarked on her political journey in 1997 by winning the election for Councilor of the Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat. She served as the Vice President of the BJP’s Scheduled Tribes Morcha and was also a member of the National Executive of the BJP’s Tribal Morcha. She won the election twice—in 2000 and 2009—from the Rairangpur constituency in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on a BJP ticket, serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). In the coalition government formed by Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal and the BJP in Odisha, Draupadi Murmu served as a minister—first for Commerce and Transport, and later for Fisheries and Animal Resources Development. In 2015, she became the ninth Governor of Jharkhand, succeeding Syed Ahmed; Virender Singh, the then Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, administered the oath of office to her.
President Honours Brave Soldiers with 7 Kirti Chakras 15 Vir Chakras & 29 Shaurya Chakras for Valour and Sacrifice..
President Draupadi Murmu presented gallantry awards to brave soldiers at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 8, 2026. President Draupadi Murmu presented Gallantry Awards to personnel from the Armed Forces, CAPFs, and State and Union Territories for their valor, courage, and supreme dedication to duty. The President honored their supreme sacrifice and valor in defending the nation’s sovereignty by awarding a total of seven Kirti Chakras (two posthumously), 15 Vir Chakras (three posthumously), and 12 Shaurya Chakras (one posthumously). In the first phase of the ceremony, soldiers were honored with the second-highest peacetime gallantry award, the “Kirti Chakra,” and the prestigious wartime honor, the “Vir Chakra.” This year, a total of seven Kirti Chakras were awarded, of which two were posthumously awarded to brave soldiers. The families of the martyrs received the awards from the President. 29 Shaurya Chakras given this year Also, 15 brave soldiers were awarded the Vir Chakra for their indomitable courage and for facing the enemies in war-like conditions, out of which three soldiers received this honour posthumously. In this ceremony, 29 Shaurya Chakras were also awarded by the President. Shaurya Chakra is the third highest peacetime gallantry award of the country, which is given for extraordinary bravery and self-sacrifice in front of the enemies. Out of the 29 Shaurya Chakras given this year, one medal was given posthumously.Apart from the soldiers of the Indian Army, CRPF and BSF and anti-terrorism police forces of various states were also among those who received this honour.