‘ODOP, Lakhpati Didi schemes help boost women-led enterprises’

Varanasi: A thought-provoking academic session on the theme Prosperous Women–Prosperous India was organised under Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 on Saturday, focusing on the pivotal role of women in India's social, economic and cultural development. The programme was coordinated by Gauri Balachandar of IIT-BHU.Welcoming the participants, Prof Ashish Tripathi from the Hindi Department referred to the Vasuki, Aadal and Tilkavati traditions and described Tamil as one of India's most ancient living languages, citing scientific views that place it even older than Sanskrit. He termed the session a symbolic confluence of Tamil and Prakrit traditions and recalled the contributions of iconic women such as Rani Velu Nachiyar, Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy, Muvalur Ramamirtham, M.S. Subbulakshmi and Indira Nui to women's empowerment and social reform.A short documentary showcasing the journey of BHU, IIT-BHU and Kashi Tamil Sangamam was screened, introducing participants to the academic and cultural vision behind the initiative.Speaking on economic empowerment, Prof Manisha Mehrotra from the economics department highlighted the importance of Geographical Indication (GI) tags in preserving and promoting indigenous products globally. She noted that out of Uttar Pradesh's 70 GI-tagged products, 33 are linked to Varanasi. Referring to govt initiatives such as One District One Product (ODOP) and Lakhpati Didi, she said these schemes are playing a significant role in poverty alleviation and strengthening women-led enterprises. She also pointed out that 33% of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu are owned by women, reflecting their strong economic participation. Citing success stories under the Lakhpati Didi initiative, Prof Mehrotra mentioned Vidyut Sakhi Sangeeta of Meerut and Banking Sakhi Sarla of Lucknow, who have enhanced financial inclusion and community trust. She also referred to South Indian entrepreneur Nitya, who has generated employment for around 3,000 people.Padma Shri Rajni Kant, popularly known as India's "GI Man", linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Vocal for Local" vision with women empowerment, handloom and traditional crafts. He spoke about the centuries-old civilisational flow towards Kashi and said that following the redevelopment of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, nearly 25 crore devotees and tourists have visited the city in the last four years. He emphasised the growing significance of GI tags in sustaining heritage-based livelihoods.Renowned scholar and musician Shivashri Skandaprasad said she felt no cultural divide between Kashi and Tamil Nadu, as both are deeply rooted in spiritual traditions. Reflecting on women's historical journey, she noted that women were custodians of knowledge in the Vedic era but faced challenges in medieval times.

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