Learn from tribal communities how to live with nature: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday urged people to draw lessons from the nature-nurturing lifestyle of tribal communities, stressing the importance of protecting the environment while pursuing development. Addressing a public programme in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, on the occasion of Bastar Dussehra, President Murmu described the festival as a vibrant symbol of the state’s cultural pride and collective faith. She said the participation of the entire community made the festival extraordinary, while its rituals fostered connections and kinship among different sections of society. The President said tribal communities worship nature as a source of life and that their way of living offered valuable lessons for the country’s development journey.

उपयुक्त प्रोत्साहन मिले तो जनजातीय समाज के बेटे-बेटियाँ जीवन के हर क्षेत्र में देश का गौरव बढ़ा सकते हैं। https://t.co/9oHN2syj21

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 23, 2026

Referring to Chhattisgarh’s experience with Naxalism, President Murmu said coordinated efforts by the central and state governments had freed the region from Naxal violence, enabling it to advance on the path of progress. She welcomed the acceleration of initiatives to provide financial assistance to tribal entrepreneurs and connect them with markets. Such efforts would contribute to the goal of a developed India by 2047 through equitable and inclusive development, she said.
Before the programme, President Murmu interacted with local Manjhi and Chalki at the Muriya Darbar and visited the Rangoli and Dussehra exhibition in Jagdalpur. Earlier in the day, the President offered prayers at the Maa Danteshwari Temple in Bastar.