President Droupadi Murmu — a two-time member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly — will address the inaugural winter session of the House on November 27, marking the first-ever address by a President to any state Assembly.
Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Surama Padhy, said: “It would be a moment of pride for all of us when the President addresses the Assembly. She served as an MLA for nine years and was also a cabinet minister. Her journey from the Odisha Assembly to the Office of the President is truly inspirational.”
Murmu’s political journey has been marked by steady rise through public service. She worked as a junior assistant in the Odisah government’s irrigation and power department from 1979 to 1983. She later served as a teacher at the Sri Aurobindo Integral Education and Research Centre in Rairangpur from 1994 to 1997.
Murmu entered politics in 1997, first as a councillor of the Rairangpur Notified Area Council (NAC) and later became its chairperson.
In 2000, she was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj and went on to serve two terms. In 2007, she received the Nilakantha Award for Best MLA. During the BJD-BJP coalition government, she held independent charge for commerce and transport and later fisheries and animal resources development as minister of state (2000-2004).
Murmu also served as the governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021.
As per the schedule, the President will reach the state assembly premises at 4.20pm on November 27 and address the MLAs at 4.30pm.
The Speaker said governor Hari Babu Kumbhampati, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik and all MLAs will remain present during the President’s address to the Assembly.
During her visit, the president will also inaugurate a new guest house within the Raj Bhavan premises.
For the November 27 visit, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja issued specific instructions to the home, health, and other departments to ensure seamless coordination. The President is slated to depart the state on November 28.
Additional reporting by PTI