Akanksha Women Honoured with a Historic Visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Lucknow: It was a moment of immense pride and awe for Guddi Devi, Munni Kharwar, Halima, and Maya Lodi—women who never imagined that they would one day find themselves seated in Rashtrapati Bhavan, in the presence of the Hon’ble President of India. What once seemed like a distant dream was brought to life through the dedicated efforts of Dr. Rashmi Singh, President of the Akanksha Committee, Uttar Pradesh.
Dr. Singh led these women—members of the Masala Mathri Centre in Lucknow, an initiative under the Akanksha Committee—on a memorable and inspiring visit to the President’s House. For women who have toiled tirelessly with little public recognition, the grandeur and warmth of Rashtrapati Bhavan was both an unforgettable and deeply affirming experience.
President Droupadi Murmu welcomed the Akanksha team and held a warm, heartfelt interaction with the women, learning about their income-generating activities, health concerns, children’s education, and everyday struggles. She commended their efforts and offered valuable suggestions to help strengthen and scale the initiative.
The President emphasized that economic self-reliance is the most powerful means of women’s empowerment. She recommended that the Akanksha model be extended to all districts of Uttar Pradesh to enable more women to access opportunities for earning, learning, and leading lives of dignity. She also advised the Akanksha leadership to replicate the model in other states and ensure that its best practices are shared widely with States and Union Territories across the country.
Highlighting the transformative potential of civil society, the President also underlined the vital role that the spouses of male IAS officers can play. “If they view their position not merely as a source of personal comfort, but as a platform to serve others—especially the underprivileged—they can truly become agents of meaningful change,” she remarked.
On this occasion, Dr. Rashmi Singh presented a Compendium to President Murmu, detailing the key achievements of the Akanksha Committee over the past year. She was accompanied by the Committee’s Secretary, Mrs. Pratibha Singh, and Vice President, Dr. Preety Choudhari, who also apprised the Hon’ble President of future plans, including the proposed expansion of the Masala Mathri Centre.
The President’s humility, insight, and compassion deeply moved and inspired the entire Akanksha delegation. The meeting reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to empowering grassroots women through skill-building, self-reliance, and inclusive development.
