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Smt Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of India on July 25, 2022. Prior to this, she served as the 9th Governor of the state of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021.

Early Life and Education

Smt Droupadi Murmu was born on June 20, 1958, to a Santhal tribal family in Uparbeda in the remote Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Her educational journey began at Uparbeda Primary School. Through her determination and passion for learning, she went on to study in Bhubaneshwar from class-VIII onwards. She became the first girl in her village to pass the matriculation examination and to earn a degree, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics in 1979 from Ramadevi Women’s College, Bhubaneswar. 

Her early life was shaped by struggles, perseverance, and the strong moral values instilled by her family. She overcame social and financial challenges to become an inspiration for many in her community. These formative years laid the foundation for her later achievements in public service and leadership.

Professional Career

From 1979 to 1983, Smt. Murmu served as a Junior Assistant in the Irrigation and Power Department, Government of Odisha. Her passion for education and learning led her also to serve as an honorary teacher at Sri Aurobindo Integral Education & Research Centre, Rairangpur, from 1994 to 1997. 

To this day, Smt. Murmu remains a vocal advocate for the transformative role that education plays in lives of women and girls from marginalised communities, often citing her own lived experience as an example.

Public Life

Smt. Droupadi Murmu, a leader deeply rooted in grassroots democracy, has served across all three tiers of governance with an unwavering commitment to inclusivity, responsiveness, and the upliftment of the marginalized.

Previous Posts Held by the Hon'ble President are as under :-

• Elected as Councillor of Rairangpur Notified Area Council in Mayurbhanj District, Odisha (1997) and subsequently became Vice Chairperson of Rairangpur NAC.

• Served two terms as Member of Legislative Assembly of Odisha (2000-2009) from Rairangpur Assembly Constituency.

• Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Commerce and Transport (March 2000-August 2002).

• Minister of State (Independent Charge), Department of Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (August 2002-May 2004).

• Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Department of Home, Government of Odisha.

• Member of various House Committees and Standing Committees of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, viz. House Committee on Railways, House Committee on Women and Child Welfare, Subject Committee on Panchayati Raj, Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, House Committee on Forest Protection, House Committee on Sarba Sikshya Abhiya, House Committee on Women and Child Welfare.

• Received the Pandit Nilkanth Das – Best Legislator Award (2007) by the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

• BJP National Vice-President, ST Morcha and State President, BJP ST Morcha of Odisha

• BJP District President of Mayurbhanj twice

Smt. Murmu was appointed the Governor of Jharkhand on 18 May 2015 and served the longest tenure as the Governor of Jharkhand (6 years 55 days). She was the first tribal woman Governor of a State with a significant tribal population and received widespread appreciation for her statesmanship and adherence to democratic ethos. She introduced reforms in examination and recruitment processes of the State Universities. During her tenure as Governor, she also focused on improving quality of education in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, and undertook various measures to promote girls' education.

In all her roles in public service, Smt Murmu introduced innovative initiatives and people-oriented measures. Uplifting the most neglected sections of society; gender justice; accessibility and efficiency of public services; sustainable environmental management and stewardship, and an inclusive, empathetic and transparent approach to governance remained the hallmarks of her vision of public service.

Other interests and initiatives

Smt. Murmu has been a leading voice for the preservation and promotion of India’s immense cultural and linguistic diversity. Notably, she played a key role in ensuring constitutional recognition for the unique Santali language as an official language of India and supported initiatives for the codification of the Ol Chiki script. She has also supported several tribal socio-educational and cultural organisations. She is also an avid reader and is deeply spiritual. 

During her tenure as President, she has taken several initiatives to showcase India’s artistic and cultural heritage at Rashtrapati Bhavan. These include highlighting traditional Indian art, crafts, textiles, music and cuisine at State functions; and providing an inclusive platform for artisans and crafts-persons from all over India to present their unique traditional skills. She has also taken several steps to make Rashtrapati Bhavan more accessible and open to the public, especially for children and Divyangjan.

Tours and State Visits

As President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu has travelled widely across the country. She has also travelled abroad to enhance India's global outreach and footprint. She visited the United Kingdom in 2022 and Vatican City in April 2025 and has also paid State Visits to Suriname and Serbia in 2023, Mauritius, Fiji, New Zealand, Timor-Leste, Algeria, Mauritania, Malawi in 2024, Portugal and Slovakia in 2025.

During these visits, she has made special efforts to engage with the Indian diaspora, highlighting their important contribution in strengthening India’s bilateral relations. She has been conferred the "Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star" of Suriname, the “Companion of the Order of Fiji”, and the “Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste”. She has also received Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law from the University of Mauritius, Honorary Doctorate in Political Science from Science & Technology Hub, Martyr Ihaddaden Abdelhafid University of Algeria, and Honorary Doctorate in Sciences from Constantine the Philosopher University, Slovakia.

Personal Life

In 1980, Smt. Murmu married Shyam Charan Murmu, a bank officer. Shri Murmu passed away in 2014. Smt. Murmu’s daughter, Smt. Itishree Murmu, is banking professional, and her son-in-law, Shri Ganesh Hembram, is an international rugby player. She has two young grand-daughters, Adyashree and Nityashree. 

Despite facing profound personal hardships, Smt Droupadi Murmu’s dedication to nation-building has remained steadfast, reflecting extraordinary resilience and strength. Her journey of perseverance and purpose continues to inspire, fostering a more inclusive and empowered India where every voice is heard, and every citizen has the opportunity to thrive.

Overview

Governor of Andhra Pradesh

Biography

Basic Information

• Full Name: Syed Abdul Nazeer
• Date of Birth: October 6, 1963
• Age: 61 years (as of 2025)
• Birthplace: Karnataka, India
• Current Position: Judge of the Supreme Court of India (since May 2017)

Early Life & Education

Syed Abdul Nazeer was born in Karnataka and completed his law degree at Karnataka University. He started his legal career practicing in the Karnataka High Court and has built a reputation for his expertise in civil, criminal, and constitutional law.

Judicial Career

• Appointed as a Judge of Karnataka High Court in 2004
• Elevated to Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court in 2016
• Appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court of India in May 2017
• Known for judgments in key constitutional, civil, and criminal matters

Contributions & Initiatives

• Contributed to strengthening judicial processes and interpretation of constitutional law
• Known for upholding principles of justice, equality, and rule of law
• Active in promoting legal awareness and judicial reforms

Awards & Recognition

• Respected for judicial integrity and impartiality
• Recognized for significant rulings impacting Indian jurisprudence

Personal Life

• Interests: Legal research, Constitutional law, Education

Popular Quotes

• “The judiciary is the guardian of the Constitution and protector of citizens' rights.”
• “Justice delayed is justice denied; timely adjudication is essential.”

Childhood & Education 

Born on 10th July 1951 in a farmer’s family at village Babhora, Tehasil Chakia, District Varanasi (now district Chandauli) UP, to Shri Rambadan Singh and Srimati Gujarati Devi.

He received his basic education in the village and subsequently, he completed his MSc Physics from Gorakhpur University UP. He worked as a lecturer of Physics at K.B. Post-Graduate College Mirzapur, UP.

Public & Social Life

He was a brilliant student since his student life. He became the RSS karyavah (General Secretary) of Mirzapur city in 1972. He also remained the organisational secretary of ABVP Gorakhpur division from 1969 to 1971. He entered politics in 1974 and in 1977, he was elected as an MLA in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. He was elected MLC for Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council in 1988 and became Education Minister in 1991. During his tenure as Education Minister in UP, he established some landmarks by introducing the Anti-Copying Act and Vedic Mathematics in the syllabus. He became a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1994. On November 22, 1999, he became Union Surface Transport Minister. During this period he got the opportunity to initiate the NHDP (National Highway Development Programme), a dream project of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. On October 28, 2000, he became Chief Minister of UP and was twice elected as MLA from Haidargarh constituency in Barabanki. On May 24, 2003, he became Union Minister of Agriculture and subsequently for Food Processing. During this period he initiated a few epoch-making projects like Kisan Call Centre and Farm Income Insurance Scheme. He also embarked on 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra' which covered several States taking up the cause of increasing terrorist activities and threats to internal security. He laid emphasis on issues of public interest like spiralling prices of essential commodities, farmers’ grievances and other national issues. He has also written a book on Unemployment its Reasons and Remedies He became the BJP National President on December 31, 2005, a post he held till December 19, 2009. In May 2009, he was elected MP from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. On May 26, 2014, Shri Rajnath Singh took oath as the Union Minister of India and worked as Union Minister for Home Affairs till 30.05.2019. On May 31, 2019, Shri Rajnath Singh has been allocated portfolio of Minister of Defence. Subsequent to the formation of the NDA Government after 2024 General Elections, Shri Rajnath Singh has again been given the charge of Defence Minister.

General Anil Chauhan PVSM UYSM AVSM SM VSM is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasala. He was commissioned into the Sixth Battalion, the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in Jun 1981, from IMA, Dehradun. The officer has vast experience in operations across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles. He commanded an Infantry Battalion, along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir, a Mountain Brigade in Manipur, an Infantry Division in the Kashmir Valley and a Corps in the North East. The General was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command from 01 Sep 2019 to 31 May 2021. Post his retirement from active military service, the General served as a Military Advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) from 20 Oct 2021 to 29 Sep 2022.

General Chauhan's staff and instructional assignments include, Instructional tenure at HQ IMTRAT, Bhutan, Military Observer on a UN Mission to Angola, General Staff Officer 1 (Operations) of the Mountain Division, Director, Perspective & Planning (TAS) at Army HQ, Chief of Staff, HQ 15 Corps and Director General of Discipline Ceremonial & Welfare. He was the Director General of Military Operations during the Balakot Air Strike.

General Anil Chauhan is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command and National Defence College courses. The officer, during the span of over 40 years of uniformed service has been decorated for distinguished service with the PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM & VSM.

Academically inclined, the General has authored two books namely 'Aftermath of a Nuclear Attack' & 'History of 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre' and has supervised the writing of History of 19 Inf Div. Currently he is working on a book on the Military Geography of Indian Northern Borders. He was awarded M. Phil in Defence Studies from Madras University in 2012.

The General officer assumed the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff on 30 Sep 2022.

Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi assumed command as 26th Chief of the Naval Staff on 30 Apr 24. Prior to this appointment, he was the Vice Chief of Naval Staff.

He is an alumnus of Sainik School Rewa, and the prestigious National Defence Academy. He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1985 and specialised in Communication and Electronic Warfare. His command assignments include command of INS Vinash (Missile Vessel), INS Kirch (Missile Corvette), and INS Trishul (Guided Missile Frigate). Whilst in command of INS Kirch, he played a pivotal role during HADR operations after the Tsunami of Dec 2004, for which he received a letter of appreciation from the then President of Sri Lanka.

His other sea-going appointments include Executive Officer of INS Mumbai (Guided Missile Destroyer), Fleet Electronic Warfare Officer, Fleet Communication Officer as also the Fleet Operations Officer (akin to the Chief of Staff to the Fleet Commander) of the Western Fleet. His staff appointments include the Director of Naval Operations (DNO), Principal Director of Network Centric Operations (PDNCO), and Principal Director Naval Plans (PDNP).

After his promotion to the Flag Rank, he was appointed as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans), Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Commandant of the prestigious Indian Naval Academy, Director General of Naval Operations, Chief of Personnel and the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.

Such diverse range of sea and staff appointments have enabled him to grasp the nuances of plans, operations, personnel and practically every aspect of Indian Navy’s functioning.

The Admiral is a graduate of Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, where he was awarded the Thimmaiya Medal for being the best all-round officer. The Admiral attended the Naval Higher Command Course and Naval Command College at the US Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, in 2007-08, where he won the Prestigious Robert E. Bateman International Prize.

The Admiral is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal, Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Nao Sena Medal for devotion to duty.

He is a keen sportsman and avidly follows tennis, badminton, and cricket. The Admiral is a student of International Relations, Military History, and the art and science of Leadership. He is married to Mrs Shashi Tripathi, an artist and homemaker. The couple have a son, Divyam, a practising lawyer, who is married to Tanya, who works in the public health policy domain.

Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla assumed charge as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command on 01 Nov 25. He was commissioned in the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 1989. In a career spanning 36 Years, he has held a number of specialist, staff and operational appointments, both afloat and ashore. Post completion of his specialisation course in Communication and Electronic warfare, he served as a specialist onboard several frontline ships. He subsequently had the privilege and opportunity of holding extremely challenging, fulfilling and eventful command at sea which included IN Ships Nishank, Taragiri, Beas and the coveted appointment of Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF). During the tenure as FOCEF, he was the Officer in Tactical Command for the prestigious President's Fleet Review (PRF-22) and the sea phase of Indian Navy's flagship multinational exercise MILAN - 22, that witnessed an unprecedented participation from Friendly Foreign Countries.

Ashore, he has held important staff appointments at the Naval Headquarters, Chief of Staff of Western Naval Command, ACOP (HRD), Director MDCC and headed officer's training at the Naval Academy. He has also held diplomatic assignment overseas. Prior assuming charge as FOC-in-C (East), he was the Chief of Personnel (COP) at Naval Headquarters. As COP, he held transformative HR reforms, streamlined recruitment, undertook training advancements and drove holistic wellness and community programs for Indian Navy Personnel.

An alumnus of Royal College of Defence Studies, London; Naval War College and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; his educational accomplishments include M Phill (Defence & Strategic Studies), Masters in International Security and Strategic Studies from the King's College, London, M.Sc (Defence & Strategic Studies) from Madras University and M.Sc (Telecom) from CUSAAT.

As recognition for his distinguished Service , he has been awarded the Ati Vishist Seva Medal, the Nau Sena Medal and commendations by the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief. The Flag Officer is married to Mrs Priya Bhalla who is an Educationalist and a certified Yoga instructor. The couple has two children, daughter Aditee and son Viren.