In a world where one woman can soar to space, while another is still forced to be confined to her home by tradition, India’s gender equality story is one of both triumph and struggle. India has struggled to break free from traditional views of the role of women in society caused by centuries of intergenerational gender bias. A 2023 report released by the World Economic Forum ranked India as 140th among 150 nations in the global gender gap, making India home to one of the largest gender gaps in the world. Factors such as a decrease of women in the Indian labor force, decrease in female literacy rates, and lack of female representation in politics and leadership roles have widened this gap to 62.5% (World Economic Forum). However, this is not to say that Indian attitudes towards women have not changed over the years. Since the ending of the 20th century, attitudes on gender roles have become more egalitarian, showing a slow yet progressive shift in the gender gap (Pew Research Center). More specifically, in the small, rural areas of India, substantial change is being made for women. The government-led initiative Lakhpati Didi strives to break century-long barriers by providing women in rural areas access to education in financial literacy and opportunities to expand their small businesses in agriculture and handicrafts. 

The Lakhpati Didi initiative was launched in 2023 under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and empowers women through Self-Help Groups (SHG). The term Lakhpati Didi most directly translates to the milestone of a “sister,” or didi, earning their first 100,000 rupees (Government of India). The initiative aims to encourage women in rural areas to start micro-enterprises. The SHGs allow for women to undergo training aligned with emerging industrial demands such as manufacturing, sewing, agriculture, drone flying, repairing, and various other skills. This diversified training approach ensures that these women have various options to choose from when expanding their careers. The SHGs support financial inclusion through bank linkage which allows for Lakhpati Didis to become the preferred clients of the banking system, and financial support for women-led groups, enterprises, and farmer organizations has empowered these women to be self-reliant. Those who become a Lakhpati Didi also serve as an inspiration to others by achieving a decent standard of life and sustainable livelihood practices (Vikaspedia). 

A woman who makes various food items with organic millet described her experience with the Lakhpati Didi initiative in an interview conducted by the New India Junction. She stated that the training provided by the SHGs has helped her support her family, as her husband’s income as a farmer does not adequately support their financial needs. Another woman who works to produce tea leaves stated that the Lakhpati Didi program helped her business “promote local products from the village” and expressed that before the initiative, her company “couldn't sell in the market because [it] didn’t have the proper package” (New India Junction). One of the most inspirational stories to come out of the Lakhpati Didi initiative is of Fatima Banoo, a resident of the border village of Latoo in Kargil district. Despite her lack of education and economic activity, she decided to create a SHG aimed towards vegetable and cash crop cultivation with other women in the village to empower self-dependent women farmers. Through her leadership with other women in this SHG, she increased the number of women becoming a Lakhpati Didi significantly (Voice of Ladakh).

At the beginning of the initiative in 2023, the goal for the number of women to be trained under SHGs was 2,000,000. This year’s budget interim announced that this number would increase to 3,000,000. There are currently 83,000 SHGs, with millions of women transforming the rural socioeconomic landscapes. These numbers will only grow as the initiative stretches to numerous economically impoverished rural areas across the country (New India Junction). The Lakhpati Didi is not the only initiative that serves to address prominent issues for women in India. Under Prime Minister Nahendra Modi’s administration, numerous government-led initiatives like Lakhpati Didi such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save Daughter, Teach Daughter) aim to increase education among young girls (National Library of Medicine). 

Although current data of India’s gender gap issues display vast inequalities between men and women, initiatives like Lakhpati Didi spearhead the movement for more equality and opportunities for women in India. Traditional patriarchal values will still prevail throughout India’s timeline due to its culture; however, slow but steady progress is being made to ensure that women are not continuously relying on men for financial support. This progress cannot be measured by numbers or policies, but rather by the stories of individual lives that initiatives like Lakhpati Didi improve. As women forge new paths and break down barriers in a country that is still struggling with the complexity of gender norms, they exemplify resilience, courage, and a promise for a future full of opportunities for all.

Sources retrieved from World Economic Forum, Pew Research Center, Government of India Website, National Library of Medicine, Vikaspedia, and Voice of Ladakh.