In celebration of International Women's Day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted his commitment to Nari Shakti (women’s empowerment) by handing over his social media accounts to six women and highlighting their powerful stories.
The women, who hail from different regions of the country, have diverse journeys that were seen through PM Modi's initiative.
The women are Vaishali Rameshbabu from Chennai, Dr Anjlee Agarwal from Delhi, Anita Devi from Nalanda, Elina Mishra from Bhubaneswar, Ajaita Shah from Rajasthan, and Shilpi Soni from Sagar.
Elina Mishra and Shilpi Soni
Elina Mishra and Shilpi Soni are two scientists conducting cutting-edge research and technology, who took over PM Modi's social media accounts together.
Elina Mishra is a nuclear scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, while Shilpi Soni is a space scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Ajaita Shah
The founder and CEO of Frontier Markets, Ajaita Shah worked towards improving the landscape of rural entrepreneurship by empowering over 35,000 digitally enabled women entrepreneurs.
Through her initiative she helps women to become self-reliant business owners and last-mile distributors of essential goods and services, bridging the gap between rural markets and economic growth.
Vaishali Rameshbabu
Chess prodigy Vaishali Rameshbabu has been competitively playing the sport since the age of six and achieved the prestigious title of Chess Grandmaster in 2023.
She has made the nation proud on the global stage with her strategic brilliance and determination.
Anita Devi
Known as the “Mushroom Lady of Bihar,” Anita Devi established the Madhopur Farmers Producers Company in 2016.
Through mushroom cultivation, she has not only uplifted but has also created employment opportunities for hundreds of rural women, paving the way for financial independence and economic empowerment.
Dr Anjlee Agarwal
A beacon for the movement advocating for universal accessibility, Dr Anjlee Agarwal is the founder of Samarthyam Centre for Universal Accessibility.
For over three decades, she has made dedicated efforts towards ensuring inclusive mobility and barrier-free infrastructure, especially in schools and public spaces to improve the state of accessibility for people with disabilities.
Modi lauded the contributions of these women and congratulated them for being pioneers of the Viksit Bharat mission.
In a post on X, he said, “Their determination and success remind us of the boundless potential women hold. Today and every day, we celebrate their contributions in shaping a Viksit Bharat.”–Hindustan Times