Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as India's president on Monday, making her the country's first president from one of the country's marginalized tribal communities.

The former schoolteacher and state governor was elected with 64 percent of the vote by members of India's parliament and state assemblies last week.

Murmu, who is from the Santhal tribe and was born in eastern Odisha state, paid her respects to India's independence icon Mahatma Gandhi at a memorial in New Delhi before her inauguration.

"I started my life journey from a small tribal village," Murmu, 64, said after taking the oath of office in parliament.

"From the background, I come from, it was like a dream for me to even get elementary education," she added.

"But despite many obstacles, my resolve remained strong and I became the first daughter from my village to go to college."

Murmu's victory was thought to be a foregone conclusion due to the strength of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the parliament and state assemblies.

Analysts suggest that the move will likely help Prime Minister Narendra Modi broaden his support among poor tribal communities ahead of his re-election bid in 2024.

"Her assuming the Presidency is a watershed moment for India, especially for the poor, marginalized and downtrodden," Modi said on Twitter after Murmu's address. 

Murmu is the country's second female president, following Pratibha Patil, who served as president for five years beginning in 2007.

She succeeds Ram Nath Kovind, the second president from the Dalit community, the lowest caste system.

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