By Alekya Pratap Neelakantam
As an academician and an ordinary karyakarta of the world’s largest political party, I have spent years studying policy and participating in grassroots activism. But rarely have I felt as personally moved as I did when Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared, “It is my conviction that women will play the most important role in creating Viksit Bharat.”
For me, this was not a routine political statement. It was a civilisational assertion.
As a proud Telangana bidda, I write today not merely as a party worker, but as a responsible citizen appealing to my young sisters across Telangana — students, homemakers, entrepreneurs, professionals — to recognise the historic moment we are living in. Women empowerment is no longer a slogan; it is state policy, budget priority, and national mission.
India’s women constitute nearly half of our population. No nation can aspire to become a developed country while leaving 48% of its human capital underutilised. When the Prime Minister speaks of Viksit Bharat, he is not referring to abstract economic numbers; he is envisioning a developed India powered by confident, educated, economically independent women — without discrimination of caste, creed, or religion.
What distinguishes Modi’s approach is its universality. His schemes do not ask a woman which community she belongs to before offering her opportunity. They ask only one question: Are you ready to move forward?
Consider the transformation triggered by initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. What began as a campaign to correct the declining child sex ratio has evolved into a broader movement affirming the value of the girl child. Parallelly, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was not merely about toilets — it restored dignity and safety to millions of rural women.
Through Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, collateral-free loans have empowered lakhs of women entrepreneurs to start small businesses, from tailoring units to food processing enterprises. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, property ownership in the name of women has strengthened their financial security and bargaining power within families. The Jal Jeevan Mission has reduced the daily drudgery of fetching water — a burden historically borne by women.
These are not symbolic gestures. They alter everyday life.
As an academic, I am particularly encouraged by the government’s emphasis on STEM education for girls, including the proposal for district-level hostels to promote scientific learning. In sunrise sectors like animation, gaming, VFX, and digital content, the establishment of AVGC labs in thousands of schools and colleges signals a future where women are not mere participants but creators in the digital economy.
Prime Minister Modi also highlighted India’s pride in seeing Nirmala Sitharaman present nine consecutive Union Budgets — a powerful reminder that women today occupy the highest levels of economic decision-making. Representation matters. It inspires.
Equally significant is the plan to formalise care work by training 1.5 lakh caregivers and expanding allied health institutions. For decades, caregiving remained invisible, informal, and underpaid. Recognising and certifying this sector not only generates dignified employment for women but also strengthens India’s healthcare capacity.
When Modi says women will lead Viksit Bharat, he is acknowledging a visible reality: women are excelling in space research, startups, sports, armed forces, and grassroots governance. From self-help groups in villages to boardrooms in metros, their footprint is expanding.
But empowerment cannot be outsourced entirely to the government. Policy opens doors; society must walk through them.
My appeal to young women in Telangana is simple: seize these opportunities. Apply for that loan. Pursue that scholarship. Enter that competitive exam. Launch that enterprise. Participate in governance. Let no outdated social norm convince you that ambition is arrogance.
Your education is not merely personal advancement; it is national investment. Your entrepreneurship is not just business; it is economic nation-building. Your confidence is not individual pride; it is collective progress.
In my years of activism, I have observed many political narratives. Some divide communities in the name of identity. Others distribute temporary benefits for electoral arithmetic. But genuine empowerment — across caste, creed, religion, and region — is transformative. It builds capacity, not dependency.
Viksit Bharat cannot be constructed by half its population while the other half watches. It demands partnership.
As I reflect on the Prime Minister’s conviction, I see in it not political rhetoric but moral clarity: India’s future will be shaped in classrooms where girls dream freely, in startups led by determined young women, in farms managed by skilled hands, in laboratories where innovation has no gender.
To every young woman reading this: the nation is not asking for your permission to grow. It is inviting your leadership.
Step forward. The future of Viksit Bharat has your name written on it.
