India elects first president from tribal community

FILE PHOTO: Droupadi Murmu, 64, a female politician who was nominated as presidential candidate by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), attends a meeting ahead of India's presidential elections, in Ahmedabad, India, July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Amit Dave

MUMBAI (Reuters) -Lawmakers chose India's first president from the country's tribal communities on Thursday, which could boost the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party among marginalised groups ahead of the 2024 general election.

Droupadi Murmu, a 64-year-old teacher turned politician, will be the second woman to hold the largely ceremonial role as head of the republic when she takes office on July 25 at the start of a five-year term.