Smt Droupadi Murmu (2)

22-July-2022: Smt Droupadi Murmu - 15th President of India

Smt Droupadi Murmu’s journey to the top office

1. She Belongs to the Tribal Santhal Community

Draupadi Murmu was born on 20 June, 1958, in Uparbeda village under Kusumi Tehsil of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha. Coming from the Santhal community, Murmu struggled with poverty in her early years in one of the most remote and underdeveloped districts of the country. The Santhals have a higher literacy rate than other tribes in India.

She will succeed Ram Nath Kovind, will be India's second woman President. She will also be the youngest and India's first President to be born after Independence.

It is believed that Murmu is deeply spiritual and a keen practitioner of the meditation techniques of the Brahma Kumaris, a movement she embraced after losing her husband, two sons, brother, and mother between 2009-2015.

2. First Jharkhand Governor to Complete a Five-Year Tenure

Draupadi Murmu served as the Governor of Jharkhand from May 2015 to July 2021 and became the first governor to complete the five-year term in the state. Jharkhand was formed in 2000. Also, she was the first Odia woman and tribal leader to be appointed governor of an Indian state. After completing her tenure, she devoted her time to meditation and social work in Rairangpur.

3. Education

Draupadi Murmu attended High School in Bhubaneswar. Murmu passed her matriculation from the Unit II Girl’s High School in 1974. She studied there for three years (Class 8, 9 and 10) before joining Rama Devi Women’s College in Bhubaneswar for a bachelor's degree in Arts.

She completed her graduation from Rama Devi College, which is now a university. Born into a Santhal family, Murmu is considered to be an excellent orator in Santhali and Odia languages.

4. Started Out As a Teacher

She worked as a junior assistant in the Odisha government’s irrigation and power department from 1979 to 1983, before joining Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, Rairangpur as a teacher in 1994 and continued till 1997.

5. She Joined BJP In 1997

Draupadi Murmu joined the BJP in 1997, and she was elected as the councillor of the Rairangpur district of Odisha in the same year. In the same year, she also became the Vice - Chairperson of Rairangpur. This began her political journey.

She later went on to become a minister in the Odisha government from 2000-04, where she handled ministries such as transport, commerce, fisheries, and animal husbandry.

Murmu was also the BJP's vice president and later president of the Scheduled Tribe Morcha in Odisha.

She was elected the district president of Mayurbhanj (West) unit of the BJP in 2010 and re-elected in 2013. She was also named a member of the BJP National Executive (ST Morcha) the same year.

During the BJP and Biju Janata Dal coalition government in Odisha, Murmu served at several posts as a Minister. She has been an MLA twice on a BJP ticket from Odisha's Rairangpur (2000 and 2009). She held on to her seat when BJD snapped ties with BJP in the 2009 elections.

She continued rising through the ranks in the BJP as well as the government. Murmu was elected as BJP's district president of the Mayurbhanj (West) unit in 2010, and she was re-elected in 2013. The leader was also named as a BJP National Executive (ST Morcha) member the same year.

6. Family

Draupadi Murmu was married to Shyam Charan Murmu and they had three children. But her husband passed away earlier due to a cardiac arrest. She also lost two of her sons, one under mysterious circumstances in 2009 and the other in a road accident in 2012. Her daughter works in a bank in Odisha.

7. Best MLA Award

The former Odisha Minister Draupadi Murmu was awarded the ‘Nilakantha Award’ in 2007 by the Odisha Legislative Assembly for being the best MLA of the year.

(Resources: Various Websites)

Smt Droupadi Murmu (1)

21-July-2022: About Our President Elect Smt Droupadi Murmu

General

·         From Rairangpur, Mayurbanj, Odisha

·         2nd ever Woman President of India

·         1st ever Tribal President of India

·         Widow + 2 Sons (deceased) + 1 Daughter – from very Humble background

Professional

·         Governor - Jharkhand (May 2015 – Jul 2021)

o   Longest reigning and the only Governor of Jharkhand to complete full tenure (6 yrs plus)

o   1st woman Governor of Jharkhand

o   1st Woman & Tribal Leader from Odisha to be appointed as Governor in any state

·         Former Minister – Govt of Odisha

o   MoS (Independent) - Fisheries & Animal Resources Development (2002-04)

o   MoS (Independent) - Commerce & Transport (2000-02)

·         2-time MLA

o   Rairangpur (ST) - BJP MLA (2004-09)

o   Rairangpur (ST) – BJP MLA (2000-04)

o   Councillor of Rairangpur Nagar Panchayat (1997)

·         Junior Assistant – Irrigation Dept, Govt of Odisha

·         Hon. Assistant Professor – Sri Aurobindo Integral and Education Research, Rairangpur

·         25 yrs in BJP (1997 – present)

·         Former VP – BJP ST Morcha

Personal

·         Caste and Religion – Hindu, ST (Santal) – 3rd largest ST in India

o   From Tudu sub clan married into Murmu clan; daughter married into Hembram clan

o   Dominant in East India (JH + OD + WB)

·         Date of Birth – 20-Jun-1958, 64 years Old

·         Domicile – Uparbeda village, Kusumi block, Mayurbhanj district, Odisha

·         Education - BA - Rama Devi Women's University, Bhubaneswar (1979)

·         Diet – Vegetarian

·         Background – from very modest family, starting off as government clerk in Irrigation department … till 2009 did not even own a house

Family

·         Father (Biranchi Narayan Tudu)

·         Husband (Shyam Charam Murmu) (deceased) – was UCO Bank manager

·         2 sons (both deceased)

·         1 daughter: Itishree Murmu – Bank Employee

·         Son-in-Law: Ganesh Hembra) – Rugby Player

( Resource: Various Websites )

GST Slabs

25-June-2022: GST Slabs

I have been thinking of the GST Slabs in our country for a while. Suddenly it occurred to me that why not go for a rationalised set of Slabs, instead of haphazardly chosen ones. Here are some suggestions: In the following Table, the suggested Rate/Slab is followed by a few examples.

• 2 % - For Insurance Products & Premiums

• 4 % - For Day-to-Day consumption & Essential Items for General Public

• 8 % - For Manufactured Items, 

• 16 % - For White Goods, and All Services

• 32 % - For Automobiles (Indian) & Highly Luxurious Goods

• 64 % - For Petroleum Products, Imported Cars

• 128 % - For Imported Luxury Cars

Note that: 

• These slabs are arranged in an exponential scale starting for the Minimum at 2% through the Maximum at 128%.

• There is a Rational & Logical place and Rate for Petroleum Products.

• While fitting the existing rates, the nearest Slab should be selected with logical reason

About Dogs

16-Apr-2022: The Life of a Dog

Dog is one of the closest domestic animals and have a high amount of respect from humans. So much so that a Dog is never addressed as a "Kutta" which is the Hindi equivalent of Dog. Have you ever wondered Why? Because the word "Kutta" has a different connotation which is derogatory. In public they are addressed as Doggie, puppy, or the name of their breeds, etc.

Dogs are very helpful, obedient, trustworthy, and often sacrificing too for the cause of their masters. On the other hand they are a nuisance once they are in the streets. But steel they enjoy the highest place among cats, dogs, cattle, goats, sheep, etc. Ever wondered, a cow can be cut on the street, but a dog can't be even kicked. If you all remember, there was a minister in the central cabinet in our country who telephoned the local authorities when she heard a stray dog was kicked by somebody, to take action. The PETA also has no objection of countless killing of animals, but they can't tolerate the slightest mistreatment to dogs. Often humans are subjected to bigger mistreatment than dogs, but nobody cares.

What I am trying to emphasise is that all animals must be treated objectively. Stray dogs must be treated differently for the convenience of the residents. The best thing is to have a clear-cut policy of registering all domestic dogs and removing stray dogs to Municipality controlled kennels where there procreation can be controlled.