Lakhpati Didi – The respect and honour that we have received today on Women’s Day makes us very happy.

Prime Minister – The world may celebrate Women's Day today, but in our values and the culture of our country, we begin with Matru Devo Bhava. For us, all 365 days are Matru Devo Bhava—not just one day.

Lakhpati Didi – In the Shivani Mahila Mandal, we work on beadwork, which is part of our Saurashtra culture. Sir, we have trained more than 400 sisters in beadwork. Among the 11 of us, three to four sisters handle marketing, while two manage all the accounts.

Prime Minister – So, the ones handling marketing travel outside?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir, to different states and everywhere.

Prime Minister – So, you have travelled all across the country?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir, almost everywhere. There’s hardly any city left that we haven't covered.

Prime Minister – And how much does Parul behan earn?

Lakhpati Didi – Parul behan earns more than 40,000 rupees, Sir.

Prime Minister – So, you have become a Lakhpati Didi now?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir, I have become a Lakhpati Didi and have also reinvested my earnings. I dream that along with me, the 11 sisters in our group have also become Lakhpati Didis, and I want every sister in our village to achieve the same.

Prime Minister – Wow!

Lakhpati Didi – My goal is to make everyone a Lakhpati Didi.

Prime Minister – Well then, my dream of creating 3 crore Lakhpati Didis—I feel like you all will take it to 5 crore!

Lakhpati Didi – Absolutely, Sir! It's a promise!

Lakhpati Didi – My team consists of 65 sisters—65 women are working with me. We produce a special syrup made from ‘mishri’ (rock sugar). Our annual turnover is between 25 to 30 lakh rupees. My personal earnings are around 2.5 to 3 lakh rupees. My fellow Didis also earn more than 2 to 2.5 lakh rupees each. We also collaborate with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to sell our products. Sir, getting this platform has been like finding a support beam on our rooftop—we never imagined reaching where we are today. The women working with me have educated their children well, Sir, and we have helped them find new opportunities. Many of the women in my team now go for marketing on their Activa scooters, some handle banking work, and others are engaged in sales.

Prime Minister – So, all your sisters now have their own vehicles?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir! And I have even bought an Eco car myself!

Prime Minister – That’s great!

Lakhpati Didi – I can’t drive a car myself Sir, so whenever I need to travel, I take a driver along. Sir, today, our happiness has doubled! It was always a dream for us—we used to watch you on TV, and even in large crowds, we tried to catch a glimpse of you. And now, we are seeing you up close!

Prime Minister – See, I have visited every one of your stalls. Whenever I get the chance—whether I am a Chief Minister or Prime Minister—it makes no difference to me. I remain the same.

Lakhpati Didi – Sir, it is because of you, your blessings, that we women have been able to overcome so many difficulties and reach such a high position. We have become Lakhpati Didis because of you. And today, the women associated with me...

Prime Minister – Do the people in your village know that you are a Lakhpati Didi?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir! Everyone knows! When I was coming here, some people were worried that we were going to make complaints about our village to you and said, "Didi, if you go, please don’t make any complaints."

Lakhpati Didi – In 2023, when you declared the International Year of Millets, we, the women from our village, realized that instead of selling bajra (pearl millet) and jowar (sorghum) for 35 rupees per kg, we should focus on value addition. That way, people could eat healthier, and we could build a business. So, we started with three products—one of them was cookies, and another was khakhra. You know about Gujarati khakhra, right?

Prime Minister – Khakhra is now an all-India product!

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir! It has reached all over India.

Prime Minister – When people hear that Modi ji wants to create Lakhpati Didis, what do they think?

Lakhpati Didi – Sir, to be honest, at first, they thought it was impossible for women. They believed that Lakhpati—which means having multiple zeros in earnings—was something only men should have in their pockets. But I tell them, "Today, we are Lakhpatis; in a few years, on this very same day, we will be sitting at an event for Crorepati Didis!"

Prime Minister – Wow!

Lakhpati Didi – And we will make this dream come true! You have shown us the way and helped us become Lakhpatis. Now, we will take the next step and show you that we have become Crorepatis. Sir, there will be a banner-- We are now Crorepati Didis!

Lakhpati Didi – I am also a drone pilot, a Drone Didi, and right now, my earnings have reached 2 lakh rupees.

Prime Minister – I once met a sister who told me, “I didn’t even know how to ride a bicycle, and now I fly drones!”

Lakhpati Didi – We may not be able to fly planes, but by flying drones, we have still become pilots!

Prime Minister – So, you’ve become a pilot!

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir! Even my brothers-in-law don’t call me ‘bhabhi’ (sister-in-law) anymore—they call me Pilot!

Prime Minister – Oh! So, now you are Pilot Didi for the whole family?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir! Whenever they enter the house, they greet me as Pilot!

Prime Minister – And what about the villagers? Do they also call you that?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, even the villagers call me that!

Prime Minister – Where did you get your training?

Lakhpati Didi – In Pune, Maharashtra.

Prime Minister – So, you went all the way to Pune for training?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir, Pune!

Prime Minister – So, did your family allow you to go?

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, they did.

Prime Minister – Oh, that’s great.

Lakhpati Didi – My child was very young at the time. I had to leave him behind, and I kept wondering if he would manage without me.

Prime Minister – So, in a way, your son made you Drone Didi!

Lakhpati Didi – Yes! And now he has a dream too—he tells me, “Mom, you’ve become a drone pilot, and I will become an airplane pilot!”

Prime Minister – Wow! Now, Drone Didis have made a name for themselves in villages across the country!

Lakhpati Didi – Sir, I want to thank you for this because, under your Drone Didi scheme, I have now become a Lakhpati Didi!

Prime Minister – Your status at home must have increased as well!

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir!

Lakhpati Didi – When I started, I had just 12 sisters with me. Now, the number has grown to 75!

Prime Minister – How much do they earn?

Lakhpati Didi – Talking about our Radha Krishna Mandal, the sisters there are engaged in both embroidery and animal husbandry. Together, they earn around 9.5–10 lakh rupees annually.

Prime Minister – Ten lakh rupees!

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir, that’s how much we earn.

Lakhpati Didi – Sir, after joining the self-help group in 2019, I received Bank Sakhi training from the Baroda Self-Employment Institute.

Prime Minister – How much money do you handle in a day?

Lakhpati Didi – Sir, on average, I handle 1 to 1.5 lakh rupees daily, mostly at the bank, but I also manage some transactions from home.

Prime Minister – Doesn’t that stress you out?

Lakhpati Didi – Not at all, Sir! I just carry a small bank with me wherever I go.

Prime Minister –That’s great!

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir.

Prime Minister – So, how much banking business do you handle in a month?

Lakhpati Didi – Sir, my monthly banking transactions reach around 4 to 5 lakh rupees.

Prime Minister – That means people are now trusting the bank more, and they believe that when you arrive, the bank has arrived.

Lakhpati Didi – Yes, Sir, absolutely!

Lakhpati Didi – Sir, I have considered you my guru from the bottom of my heart. Today, if I have become a Lakhpati Didi, it is because of your inspiration. Your guidance has helped me move forward and reach this stage. I feel like I’m living a dream, and we have actually become Lakhpati Didis! Our dream now is to help other women achieve the same. The Sakhi Mandal has brought a huge change in my life. One day, a madam named Radha Ben Rastogi from Mussoorie, saw my skills and invited me there. I immediately agreed and went to Mussoorie. There, I trained around 50 kitchen staff in making Gujarati rotla—breads made from bajra (pearl millet) and jowar (sorghum). But the most touching part of my journey was how everyone there would introduce me by saying, “This is Rita Ben from Gujarat, the land of Narendra Modi Sahib.” It made me feel incredibly proud to be a woman from Gujarat. That, Sir, was the greatest honour for me!

Prime Minister – Now, you all should enter the world of online business models. I will also ask the government to support you in upgrading this initiative. We have connected so many sisters, and they are earning at the grassroots level. The world needs to know that Indian women are not just limited to household work—that’s a misconception. In reality, they are a driving force behind Bharat’s economic strength. Rural women are playing a major role in shaping the country’s economy. Secondly, I have observed that our women quickly adapt to technology. My experience with Drone Didis proves this. The women who were trained to be drone pilots picked up the skills within just three to four days. They learn so quickly and practice with great sincerity. In our country, women naturally have the power to struggle, create, nurture, and generate wealth. This strength is beyond any calculation. I believe that this power will bring immense benefits to the nation.

Disclaimer: Some parts of the conversation between the Prime Minister and the Lakhpati Didis were originally in Gujarati and they have been translated into Hindi.

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MJPS/VJ/VK/AK