Droupadi Murmu is India's next President

Droupadi Murmu scripted history on Thursday by becoming India's first tribal President in the one-sided contest, defeating Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Murmu, 64, won by an overwhelming margin against Sinha after receiving over 64 per cent valid votes in a day-long counting of ballots of MPs and MLAs, comprising the electoral college, to succeed Ram Nath Kovid to become the country's 15th president.

After the end of the counting process that continued for more than 10 hours, returning officer P C Mody declared Murmu as the winner and said that she got 6,76,803 votes against Sinha's 3,80,177 votes.

Also watch: PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah meet Droupadi Murmu after her win

She will be the first President to be born after independence and is the youngest to occupy the top post. She is also the second woman to become the President.