Celebrations and jubilation dominated the rather calm atmosphere of Kuntala Kumari Sabat hostel at Unit II Girl’s High School in Bhubaneswar after its alumni, Draupadi Murmu was nominated as the Presidential candidate of NDA on Tuesday.
A resident of tribal-dominated Uparbeda village under Kusumi Tehsil of Mayurbhanj district, Murmu passed her matriculation from the Unit II Girl’s High School in 1974. She studied there for three years (Class 8, 9 & 10) before joining Rama Devi Women’s college for her higher studies.
When OTV arrived at the same hostel room, where Murmu had stayed during her school days, the infrastructure was evidently different given the time which has passed and the developmental and expansion works undertaken over the years, but the atmosphere was of celebration and jubilation.
The Assistant Superintendent of the hostel, Usha Munda, said, “The situation was very different when she was staying here. The building did not have a concrete roof and other facilities which are readily available now were absent in those days.”
“Though I was not here in the school during her stay, whatever I have heard about her is nothing less than a thesis. She was quite amiable as a student and had a very good rapport with all the teachers and students,” Munda said.
Smita Mohanty, a teacher at the school said, “It is a matter of great honour that Draupadi Murmu, alumni of this school, is in the race for the next President of India. I had the honour to interact with Murmu during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2019. She was the Governor of Jharkhand then, but graced us with her presence at the school.”
“During her visit to the school, she expressed happiness and shared her experience as a boarder of this hostel,” she added.
As a studious girl, Murmu did not stop after her matriculation examination. She went on and got admission to Ramadevi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar where she completed both her IA and BA.
Following her graduation from Rama Devi College, she joined as a Junior Assistant in Irrigation and Power Department from 1979 to 1983 in the Odisha government. In 1994, she joined as a teacher at Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur and continued serving at the institute till 1997. She joined the BJP in the same year.
Murmu will in all likelihood file her nomination papers on Friday, June 24, sources said. In accordance with norms, a candidate for the post of President of India needs a set of 50 proposers from among the electors, and 50 seconders, also from among the electors.