President Droupadi Murmu interacts with people while visiting her birthplace, at Uparbeda village in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district. Pics/PTI
Murmu, who was born in a Santali family of Uparbeda village under Bamanghati sub-division on June 20, 1958, for the first time came to her village and her ancestral house after assuming the country's topmost Constitutional post
As soon as Murmu reached the village, she rushed to Uparbeda Government Upper Primary School, her alma mater, where she spent her early years as a student
The school and the entire village were decorated to welcome her. She was received by teachers, students and villagers
While interacting with the students, Murmu said, "I am 66 years old and do not feel like growing up. Still, I feel like a child at my school and village. I recall how teachers were teaching us in mud-walled classrooms here"
Murmu also said that the teachers and villagers treat her like a family member and not someone outsider
"I still recall the days when I was preparing for the class-7 scholarship examination. Our teacher Madan Mohan Sir, took me to his family and I lived with his children while preparing for the examination. The love and affection that I have received from this village and school is heavenly," she said
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