President Murmu advocates for women’s role in India’s development

K K Jha
Indore: Emphasizing the pivotal role women will play in realizing India’s vision of becoming the most developed nation by 2047, President Droupadi Murmu called for encouraging women to pursue higher education and become self-reliant. Speaking at the diamond jubilee convocation ceremony of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) on Thursday, she stressed the need for collective efforts to support people from backward communities in their development journey.
“I urge all educational institutions and teachers to encourage our daughters to dream big, pursue higher education, and become independent. Only through their empowerment can we achieve our goal of making India the most advanced country by 2047,” President Murmu said. She noted that a significant number of gold and silver medalists at the ceremony were women, highlighting their growing academic excellence.
Reflecting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas’ (everyone’s support, development, and efforts), President Murmu underscored the importance of inclusive development, emphasizing that not just the government’s, but society’s cooperation is essential to uplift the underprivileged. “Your development is intrinsically tied to the development of all,” she stated.
The President paid tribute to Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, the 18th-century ruler of Indore, lauding her contributions to governance, women’s empowerment, and public welfare on the occasion of her 300th birth anniversary. “Devi Ahilyabai’s life is a testament to how women can bring about revolutionary change in all spheres—social, political, economic, and spiritual,” she remarked, highlighting how Ahilyabai’s father recognized the value of education for women in an era when it was not widely accepted.
President encouraged the graduating students to continue their educational journey, advocating for the use of knowledge and modern technologies to foster inclusive and sustainable development. “The process of acquiring education should never end,” she said, wishing the students success in their future endeavors.

Also in attendance were Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur, and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. The ceremony saw one scholar awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree, while 139 scholars received their PhDs