<p>It was a dream come true for five dozen people of Odisha's tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district as they got the opportunity to have lunch with newly elected President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.</p>.<p>All 60 people from Murmu's home district, invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the country's first tribal president, were in for a pleasant surprise when the authorities urged them to join a lunch hosted by their 'daughter of the soil'.</p>.<p>"We were very happy to attend the President's oath-taking ceremony at the Central Hall of the Parliament, but never imagined we would be invited to have lunch at Rashtrapati Bhavan," said Sujata Murmu, a former Zilla Parishad chairperson of Mayurbhanj district.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/main-article/president-droupadi-murmu-must-refuse-to-be-a-rubber-stamp-1130394.html">President Droupadi Murmu must refuse to be a 'rubber stamp'</a></strong></p>.<p>She and some other women guests had attended the oath-taking ceremony donning Santhal traditional saree.</p>.<p>Similar was the experience of Gayamani Beshra and Dangi Murmu. Both were close to the President for a long time and were invited to the swearing-in ceremony. They, too, did not expect that the President would also invite them to lunch.</p>.<p>The residents of Murmu's home district were given a tour of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and shown the President's office.</p>.<p>The guests were also given a packet of sweets upon leaving the President's official residence, Sujata Murmu said, adding it was a memorable experience.</p>.<p>Asked about the menu of the lunch, the participants said it was purely vegetarian as the President does not eat non-vegetarian food, not even garlic and onion.</p>.<p>The menu comprised sweetcorn vegetable soup, palak paneer, dal arhar tadka, gobi gajar beans, malai kofta, jeera pulao, naan, fresh green salad, boondi raita, kesar rasmalai and fresh fruits.</p>.<p>Some participants, however, lamented that they could not take selfie with the President as mobile phones and cameras were not allowed inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.</p>
<p>It was a dream come true for five dozen people of Odisha's tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district as they got the opportunity to have lunch with newly elected President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.</p>.<p>All 60 people from Murmu's home district, invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the country's first tribal president, were in for a pleasant surprise when the authorities urged them to join a lunch hosted by their 'daughter of the soil'.</p>.<p>"We were very happy to attend the President's oath-taking ceremony at the Central Hall of the Parliament, but never imagined we would be invited to have lunch at Rashtrapati Bhavan," said Sujata Murmu, a former Zilla Parishad chairperson of Mayurbhanj district.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/main-article/president-droupadi-murmu-must-refuse-to-be-a-rubber-stamp-1130394.html">President Droupadi Murmu must refuse to be a 'rubber stamp'</a></strong></p>.<p>She and some other women guests had attended the oath-taking ceremony donning Santhal traditional saree.</p>.<p>Similar was the experience of Gayamani Beshra and Dangi Murmu. Both were close to the President for a long time and were invited to the swearing-in ceremony. They, too, did not expect that the President would also invite them to lunch.</p>.<p>The residents of Murmu's home district were given a tour of the Rashtrapati Bhavan and shown the President's office.</p>.<p>The guests were also given a packet of sweets upon leaving the President's official residence, Sujata Murmu said, adding it was a memorable experience.</p>.<p>Asked about the menu of the lunch, the participants said it was purely vegetarian as the President does not eat non-vegetarian food, not even garlic and onion.</p>.<p>The menu comprised sweetcorn vegetable soup, palak paneer, dal arhar tadka, gobi gajar beans, malai kofta, jeera pulao, naan, fresh green salad, boondi raita, kesar rasmalai and fresh fruits.</p>.<p>Some participants, however, lamented that they could not take selfie with the President as mobile phones and cameras were not allowed inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan.</p>