NEW DELHI: In an interview to Union minister Smriti Irani on All India Radio, President of India Droupadi Murmu shared her journey which began as just another tribal in Rairangpur, Odisha and culminated in Raisina Hills in New Delhi appointed to the highest constitutional post in the country.
In a special episode of the programme ‘Nayi Soch Nayi Kahani’ hosted by the minister of women and child development, Murmu recalled the moment she learnt about her candidature for President. A man who use to be her private secretary when she was governor got a call asking him to urgently reach out to Murmu as she was unreachable on phone and the PM needed to speak to her. Murmu said that her house was at a place where the mobile network was poor. The man who received the call bicycled all the way to inform her and was trembling as he told her about the call.
“I wondered why would the PM want to talk to me. Then he gave the phone to me and asked to me to speak. I heard the PM’s voice at the other end and he told me that I was being considered for the President’s post. I was speechless and thanked him for trusting me to handle this responsiblity,” Murmu shared.
Murmu also spoke of her interactions with the masses and her recent travel in Delhi Metro. The President reminisced about the historic day of her first address in the new Parliament and her entry with the ‘sengol’ being carried in front of her. She also shared her vision for a developed India by 2047.
The hour-long special episode, was recorded at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and was broadcast on the occasion of ‘World Radio Day’ on Tuesday at 9 am on Akashvani Gold. It was re-broadcast at 7 pm on Akashvani Rainbow and can be watched on Doordarshan National on Feb 14at 8 am. The 12 episodes broadcast series hosted by Irani showcased stories of empowerment. The show concluded with the special episode on the President interaction.