Droupadi Murmu: A worthy occupant of Rashtrapati Bhavan

The new President can play a notable role in promoting an equitable and socially inclusive India.

- AJAY DUA

In Smt. Droupadi Murmu, India has made an inspiring choice of President for the country. A self-made lady, the 64-year-old Adivasi (aborigine) is the first person with such a background to grace the high office. Her modest upbringing notwithstanding, she brings to the job valuable experience in public service, especially at the grassroots level. The unfortunate spell of personal tragedies faced by her between 2009 and 2016-a period where she lost both of her young sons, her grieving husband, mother, and a brother-is, God-willing, behind her. Her resilience and determination to excel has been demonstrated in her past responsibilities as a legislator, a minister in her home state of Odisha, and her role as Governor of the resource-rich Jharkhand.

At her swearing-in last Monday as the First Citizen, the new President spoke eloquently about tribal legacy, the marginalized and downtrodden, education for girls, and environment cum ecology. Understandably, expectations from her as the 15th Head of State stand elevated. Much of the public consider the President's public role titular and ceremonial. The less perceptive amongst them term it a sinecure bestowed upon a person retiring from active public life. The incumbents in this phase of their life are viewed as the ones who routinely endorse the recommendations and viewpoints of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Adoption of such an attitude to official responsibilities, unfortunately, is prevalent even though the extant scheme of things, especially the Constitution of India, permits certain discretion being exercised by the office-holder. Given her track record and that she is the youngest to move into the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Murmu can be expected to buck the trend and demonstrate she has a mind of her own.