Raipur
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday publicly lauded Indian Women’s Cricket Team’s player and the only tribal to play for India— Kranti Gaud — for attaining success overcoming several odds.
“The mention of motherhood and womanhood reminds me of the world-beating Indian women’s cricket team. I recently met all these daughters at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Kranti Gaud, a daughter of a tribal community, secured a place for herself in that team. I was informed that she had to overcome extremely difficult circumstances to reach there. I would like to say that Kranti Gaud has set a revolutionary example of patience, courage and hard work for daughters across the country, especially those from tribal societies,” the President said as she addressed the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas celebration, organised by the Government of Chhattisgarh, at Ambikapur in Surguja district.
Kranti was born in Ghuwara, in Chhatarpur district, to a police constable and a homemaker. Hailing from Bundelkhand, infamous for its drought and migration, her travails increased manifold when her father was terminated from service in 2012 for dereliction of duty. But that never deterred her from giving it her best and making to the highest levels as a medium pacer.
After playing a key role as a bowling mainstay in the Indian women’s ICC ODI World Cup victory as accolades and rewards poured in, Kranti had a humble request to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister seeking a reinstatement of his father in his government job. The CM has assured her of doing so.
The President stated that the contribution of tribal communities is a glorious chapter in the history of India which is the mother of democracy. Its examples can be seen in ancient republics as well as in numerous tribal traditions, such as the ‘Muria Darbar’ – a primitive people’s parliament in Bastar.
The President was happy to note that across the country, including in Chhattisgarh, people are abandoning Left Wing Extremism and joining mainstream of development. She stated that with the deliberate and well-organised efforts of the central and state governments, the eradication of Left Wing Extremism will become possible in near future
She was happy to note that more than 165,000 participants took part in the recently held ‘Bastar Olympics.’ She expressed confidence that by following the ideals of tribal icons, people of Chhattisgarh will make invaluable contributions to building a strong, self-reliant, and developed India.
The contribution of tribal communities is a glorious chapter in the history of India. India is the mother of democracy. Examples of this can be seen not only in the ancient republics but also in several tribal traditions such as the ‘Muriya Darbar’—a people’s assembly held in Bastar.
“Coming to Chhattisgarh fills me with a sense of belonging. Odisha and Jharkhand lie barely 200 kilometres from here. I spent most of my life in Odisha. I also had the opportunity to serve as the Governor of Jharkhand. The tribal heritage of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand, as well as many other regions of the country, runs very deep. Among these communities, I see a meaningful blend of rich tribal heritage and modern development,” she said.
“It is natural for me to feel a deep connection with tribal communities because I am a daughter of this society. I am proud to be a woman and to have been born into an Adivasi family. I understand the life of this community with great depth. I am also satisfied that during my tenure, a museum titled ‘Janajatiya Darpan’ has been developed in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Many programmes connected with the contribution, development and culture of tribal communities have been organised at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Works of art created by tribal brothers and sisters have been given prominent space across various parts of Rashtrapati Bhavan,” she maintained.
