On her own: Droupadi Murmu, president candidate with no political lineage

Possibly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi saw a reflection of himself - she does not come from a political background, has no lineage, and had a lifetime of personal struggle and sacrifice.

Today Mayurbhanj is ecstatic. One of its daughters, Droupadi Murmu, will likely become the President of India. This is the second honour for the district. G C Murmu, IAS officer, former Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and current Comptroller and Auditor General of India, is also from the district.

For the most part, Mayurbhanj is a placid place. But occasionally, the bamboo groves of Odisha’s third most populous district can spring surprises. Not all are pleasant, testifying to the complexity of the region.

In January 1999, Graham Staines, a missionary working with leprosy patients in the region for 30