Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a statue of eminent Santhali writer Raghunath Murmu in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
The President, who is on a five-day visit to Odisha, arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar in a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the evening.
She was accorded a warm welcome on arrival at the airport by Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, deputy chief ministers KV Singhdeo and Pravati Parida, Culture Minister Suryabansi Suraj and other dignitaries.
From the airport, President Murmu went amid tight security to ‘Jahira’ shrine at Niladri Vihar in the city. Accompanied by the Governor and the Chief Minister, she offered puja to the deity in the shrine.
Murmu then unveiled a lifesize statue of Pandit Raghunath Murmu on the shrine’s premises. The writer is credited with developing Ol Chiki script for the Santhali language. The President also visited Adim Owar Jarpa Jaher, a tribal place of worship.
