Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Mahila Sashaktikaran Mahasammelan in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, commemorating the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar and inaugurating multiple development projects. He paid tribute to India’s women and emphasized their role in nation-building, highlighting that their empowerment is central to his government’s vision. Modi stressed that the government is ensuring every major initiative prioritizes mothers, sisters, and daughters, from housing ownership to financial inclusion, infrastructure development, and economic empowerment.
The Prime Minister announced the inauguration of the Indore Metro and expansion of air connectivity in Datia and Satna, which will accelerate development and create job opportunities in Madhya Pradesh. He recalled Ahilyabai Holkar’s governance model, describing her as a guardian of India’s heritage who led transformative social and economic reforms, including raising the minimum age for girls’ marriage, securing women’s property rights, and advocating widow remarriage at a time when such topics were difficult to discuss. Modi highlighted how she contributed to temple restoration, including work on Kashi Vishwanath, and established economic initiatives benefiting farmers, artisans, and textile workers.
Modi underscored that the government is addressing the hardships faced by women, ensuring tap water, electricity, and LPG gas access, along with Ayushman Bharat health coverage for free hospital treatment. He emphasized that financial independence empowers women, citing how his administration facilitated bank accounts under the Jan Dhan scheme, with more than 75 percent of Mudra Yojana beneficiaries being women. He pointed to self-help groups mobilizing 10 crore women, and the Lakhpati Didi initiative enabling 1.5 crore women to secure stable incomes.
The Prime Minister reiterated that the Namo Drone Didi initiative is driving agricultural transformation, with rural women leading the drone revolution and increasing their income opportunities. He stressed that the days of restricting women’s participation in technology are over, citing their growing enrollment in science and engineering, their contributions to space missions, and their leadership in India’s startup ecosystem, where 45 percent of startups have at least one woman director. Modi emphasized women’s rising role in governance, noting India’s first full-time woman Defence Minister and Finance Minister, as well as the increase in female representation in Parliament. He affirmed that the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam solidified women’s reservation, ensuring greater policymaking participation.
Hailing Operation Sindoor, Modi described it as India’s largest and most successful counter-terrorism mission in history, reinforcing that proxy wars through terrorism will not be tolerated. He warned that India would dismantle terror bases beyond its borders if necessary. Modi highlighted that women personnel played a crucial role, including Border Security Force officers stationed from Jammu to Gujarat, actively engaging in frontline defense, command operations, and counteroffensives. He stressed that Indian women are now serving in forward military positions, from the National Defence Academy to fighter jets and naval warships.
Modi recalled the feat of two Indian Navy officers completing the Navika Sagar Parikrama, circumnavigating the globe in a sailboat powered solely by wind, enduring months at sea without sight of land. He praised their resilience as emblematic of India’s daughters overcoming challenges, from anti-Naxal operations to countering cross-border threats.
The Prime Minister concluded by linking India’s infrastructure development with cultural preservation, citing metro expansion, rail connectivity, and air travel integration in Madhya Pradesh. He reaffirmed that security, strength, and tradition must advance together, invoking the legacy of Ahilyabai Holkar and other legendary women warriors who shaped India’s history. He called upon citizens to strengthen the foundation of a rising India, ensuring that women continue to lead its progress.
