Droupadi Murmu’s Visit To Similipal Today First By A President Of The Country

Bhubaneswar: A day after coming home to Rairangpur in Odisha nearly a year after being sworn in to the top office of the country, President Droupadi Murmu will pay her tributes to Ol Chiki script inventor Pandit Raghunath Murmu at his birthplace Dandabosh village in Mayurbhanj district on his birth anniversary on Friday.

They both belong to the Santhali tribe. The Odisha government, which had supported Droupsai during her election, has announced a Rs 10-crore package for the development of his Memorial at the village.

Later in the day, she will visit Simlipal National Park. Murmu’s visit to the national park will be the first by a president of the country.

The Similipal authorities have made arrangements to facilitate animal sighting for the President at Chahala, a core area of the reserve known for better animal sighting between 3 pm and 5 pm. She will be served traditional and local tribal cuisines at launch at Chahala and then guided to watch the animals, especially deer, sambar and elephants, sources said.

Murmu will leave Chahala around 4 pm, the sources added.

Notably, the authorities had earlier announced that the national park will remain out of bounds for visitors for two days from May 4 in view of the scheduled visit of the President.

On Thursday, the President broke the protocol on reaching Badampahar helipad near her native village and walked down the road for about half a kilometre to meet the people waiting eagerly there. She even spoke to the people enquiring about their living conditions. After arriving at her in-law’s house at Pahadpur, about 5km from the helipad, she offered homage to her late husband Shayam Charan Murmu and her two sons — Laxman and Sipun.

She recollected her journey from remote Mayurbhanj district to the highest office in the country during a civic reception at Rairangpur, where she began her political career as a municipal councillor. Whatever she is today, it is because of Rairangpur, the President said. She may or may not bring repute to the place, she added, but she will never bring disrepute to Rairangpur.

Earlier in the day, the President inaugurated a 100 feet flag mast hoisting the National Flag near Badabandha, Rairangpur.

The President will grace the 12th convocation of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University at Baripada on May 6 before flying back to Delhi.