‘Emotional Homecoming’: President Murmu Addresses Odisha House for the First Time
India’s first citizen delivers emotional address to Odisha Assembly.
President Droupadi Murmu created history on Thursday by becoming the first President of India to address the Odisha Legislative Assembly, describing the moment as a deeply personal homecoming that stirred memories of her own days as a legislator and minister in the very same House decades ago.
Overcome with emotion, President Murmu recounted her extraordinary journey from a remote tribal hamlet in Mayurbhanj district to the highest constitutional office, crediting the love of Odisha’s people and the blessings of Lord Jagannath for her ascent. She warmly acknowledged several familiar faces in the Assembly, including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, with whom she had shared the treasury and opposition benches in the past.
Urging lawmakers to uphold the philosophy of ‘Antyodaya’ – uplifting the last person in the queue – the President reminded members that every word spoken inside and outside the House is closely watched by the public. She emphasised that elected representatives bear the sacred responsibility of fulfilling people’s aspirations, realising their dreams, and bringing smiles to the faces of the poorest and most marginalised citizens.
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President Murmu proudly highlighted Odisha’s long tradition of women’s political empowerment, noting with satisfaction that no Legislative Assembly in the state, either before or after Independence, has ever been without women members, and that Odisha once had a distinguished woman Chief Minister. She hailed the state’s consistent progress in agriculture, education, healthcare, tribal welfare, and industrialisation under the combined efforts of the central and state governments.
Concluding on an inspiring note, the President expressed confidence that a prosperous Odisha by 2036 would constitute the state’s greatest contribution toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047, calling upon every legislator to work tirelessly toward that shared national goal.
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