New Delhi : Demonstrating his unwavering commitment to women’s empowerment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a groundbreaking initiative, handed over his social media accounts to six inspiring women on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister’s office said.
This unique step has given the unique opportunity to these exceptional women to share their remarkable journeys, achievements, and challenges with the nation.
These women hail from different corners of the country encompassing South, North, East, West and Central regions. Vaishali Rameshbabu from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Dr Anjlee Agarwal from Delhi, Anita Devi from Nalanda, Bihar, Elina Mishra from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, Ajaita Shah hailing from Rajasthan, and Shilpi Soni from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.
While 4 women presented their experiences individually, two of them – Shilpi and Elina – shared their inspiring journey jointly. These women represent various diverse spheres including sports, rural entrepreneurship, science & technology and more.
Vaishali Rameshbabu – A chess prodigy, Vaishali has been competing at the highest level since the age of six. Her dedication to the game culminated in her achieving the prestigious title of Chess Grandmaster in 2023. She continues to make India proud on the global stage with her strategic brilliance and perseverance.
In a post from PM Modi’s handle, Vaishali said, “I am @chess Vaishali and I am thrilled to be taking over our PM Thiru @NarendraModi Ji’s social media properties and that too on WomensDay. As many of you would know, I play chess and I feel very proud to be representing our beloved country in many tournaments. I was born on 21st June, which coincidentally is now popular as International Yoga Day. I’ve been playing chess since the age of 6! Playing chess has been a learning, thrilling and rewarding journey for me, reflecting in many of my tournament and Olympiad successes. But there is more.”
Anita Devi – Overcoming the barriers of poverty and adversity, Anita Devi, popularly known as “Mushroom Lady of Bihar”, took a bold step towards self-sufficiency by establishing 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.
In a post from PM Modi’s handle, Anita Devi said, “I am Anita Devi, resident of Anantapur village of Nalanda district. I have seen a lot of struggle in life. But I always wanted to do something on my own. In 2016, I decided to become self-employed. During that period, the craze for start-ups had increased so much. That is why 9 years ago I also established my Madhopur Farmers Producer Company Limited.
She shared her story of moving towards self-reliance through mushroom production, saying that the startup made her path easier and also made hundreds of women self-reliant.
“Today, I am working to take my family forward through mushroom production. I have not only made my path easier but have also made hundreds of women self-reliant by giving them employment opportunities. Now my company also provides essential items like fertilizers, seeds and pesticides to farmers at cheap rates. Today, hundreds of women working in this company are getting a life of self-respect along with a livelihood,’ the post further reads.
Elina Mishra & Shilpi Soni – These two distinguished scientists exemplify the contributions of Indian women in cutting-edge research and technology. Elina Mishra is a nuclear scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, while Shilpi Soni is a distinguished space scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
In a post from PM Modi’s handle, Elina Mishra & Shilpi Soni said, “Space technology, nuclear technology and women empowerment… We are Elina Mishra, a nuclear scientist and Shilpi Soni, a space scientist and we are thrilled to be helming the PM’s social media properties on #WomensDay. Our message- India is the most vibrant place for science and thus, we call upon more women to pursue it.”
“Both of us, Elina and Shilpi are seeing the wide range of opportunities opening up in our respective sectors. It was unimaginable that a sector like nuclear technology would offer so many opportunities for women in India. Similarly, the increasing participation of women and the private sector in the world of space makes India the most happening place to innovate and grow! Indian women surely have the talent and India surely has the right platform! Read on to know more about our individual work too,” the post added.
Ajaita Shah – As the Founder & CEO of Frontier Markets, Ajaita is transforming rural entrepreneurship by empowering over 35,000 digitally enabled women entrepreneurs. Her initiative helps these women become self-reliant business owners and last-mile distributors of essential goods and services, bridging the gap between rural markets and economic growth.
In a post from PM Modi’s handle, Ajaita Shah said, “A financially empowered woman is a confident decision-maker, independent thinker, architect of her own future and a maker of modern India! And, our nation is taking the lead in building financially empowered women. I, @Ajaita_Shah, am really delighted to be handling PM @narendramodi Ji’s social media handles on #WomensDay. I am the Founder and CEO of Frontier Markets.”
“One issue that remained close to my heart was the challenges women face in rural areas. These challenges could be financial, access to infrastructure and more. Thus, I have spent the last two decades to mitigate this. And, I feel proud that not only have I been able to make a difference, I am also seeing many more women rising to the occasion and doing the same,” the post further read.
Dr Anjlee Agarwal – A leading advocate for universal accessibility, Dr. Agarwal is the founder of Samarthyam Centre for Universal Accessibility. With a career spanning three decades, she has dedicated her life to ensuring inclusive mobility and barrier-free infrastructure. Her efforts have been instrumental in making schools and public spaces across India more accessible for people with disabilities.
In a post from PM Modi’s handle, Dr Anjlee Agarwal said, “Namaste India and Happy #WomensDay. I am Dr. @access_anjlee, founder of @samarthyam Centre for Universal Accessibility. Through PM @narendramodi’s social media handle, which I have the honour of taking over today, I want to ignite a spark of transformation, and seek a call to action- forget labels, forget barriers…lets strengthen Sugamya Bharat and make it an important precursor to a Viksit Bharat. Let’s ensure that every woman, every individual, can navigate their life with dignity and independence. Let us build on the recent gains and improve lives for persons with disabilities.”
“Here is more about myself- for over three decades, I’ve worked on universal accessibility and inclusive mobility. These sectors are integral to creating inclusive spaces. Based on my experience of the recent past, I am positive that accessibility and mobility are no longer remaining only in words but have been seamlessly assimilated with other aspects of governance,” the post further read.
Each of these exceptional women embodies the spirit of Nari Shakti, demonstrating that women are not just participants but pioneers in shaping Viksit Bharat. Their remarkable contributions reinforce the idea that Indian women are breaking barriers, achieving excellence, and shaping the country’s future.
