The programme helps link women’s empowerment with the country’s development.
The use of a forgotten medium the radio, revolutionised the popularity of Akashvani or the All India Radio by a visionary Prime Minister in reaching to the poorest of the poor in the far-flung remote areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted India’s first “visually enriched radio program,” Mann ki Baat (Inner Thoughts), on 3 October 2014 to establish a “dialogue with the citizens on issues of day-to-day governance.” Ever since, the radio program has discussed various issues that included but were not limited to education, economy, foreign affairs, health, national security, politics, sanitation, startups, society and particularly, women.
Over the last eight years, the government has vigorously campaigned for strengthening Nari Shakti across all segments of governance, including their participation in national defence. Whether congratulating women’s success in sports or acknowledging their role in building an Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat, the Mann ki Baat has been a critical platform for women’s empowerment. But how exactly has Mann ki Baat engaged with women and related issues? Five major observations can be made in this regard.
First, women have been a dominant focus in Mann ki Baat. PM Modi has talked about the role of women in the context of history, politics and their changing role in society. He has been a vocal advocate of revitalizing women in Indian history, particularly those from marginalized communities. A recurring theme in his talks is a high regard for women freedom fighters, educationalists, and social workers. For such reasons, Prime Minister has used the platform to draw attention to such notable yet overlooked figures of the past like Savitribai Phule, who he believes “personifies the indomitable spirit of our Nari Shakti”.
Second, Mann ki Baat has talked about women both as a group and as individuals. As a group, PM Modi talked about the macro directions in women’s roles and their growing participation in the country’s development. Here, the focus is mainly on collective concerns related to women, like entrepreneurship, health and nutrition, education and leadership. A good example is an initiative in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu known as Tharagaigal Kaivinai Porutkal Virpanai Angadi that links up 22 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to sell several items like the Thanjavur doll, bronze lamps, bags, mats and toys. The initiative notably cuts the middleman and helps women sell their products directly to clients. Prime Minister hailed the group during the 89th edition of the show.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister has addressed individual women from all parts of the country who have excelled in their fields and inspired others. This attention accorded to individual women is remarkable since it enables citizens (especially women) to reach out to the head of the government to tell their stories and raise concerns. Prime Minister frequently calls out individual women by name to applaud them for the initiatives that improved their lives and those of others around them. For instance, in the 98th edition of the show, he talked about an SHG run by Kamala Moharana of Kendrapada (Odisha) that makes sustainable baskets and mobile stands from milk pouches and plastics. Similarly, in the 21st episode, PM Modi praised Babita Rajput of Agrotha village (Madhya Pradesh), who mobilized other women of Agrotha to build a canal to bring water to a dried-up lake that threatened their survival.
Third, Mann ki Baat helps link women empowerment with the country’s development. From the outset, the Modi administration has sought to change the scope and notion of empowering women by emphasizing a shift from “women empowerment” to “women-led empowerment.” This shifted approach may appear inconsequential. However, it marks a fundamental change in how the government approaches women and women’s issues. Instead of restricting women as merely the beneficiary of the development agenda, it has made women a “critical prerequisite” for development. Mann ki Baat is a critical component of delivering this message.
Fourth, through Mann ki Baat, PM Modi has sought to reach out to the country’s non-women populace to remodel women’s role in Indian society. In a recent episode, PM Modi exclaimed that the “daughters of the country are raising the flag of their bravery.” He referred to this in the context of Group Captain Shalija Dhami (the first woman Air Force officer to get a Command Appointment in a Combat Unit), Captain Shiva Chauhan (the first woman officer to be posted at Siachen), and the women-only platoon of peacekeepers at the UN Mission in Sudan and South Sudan. Similarly, he also commended women who went to earthquake-struck Turkey as part of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units. Such decisions underscore the government’s intent of creating a separate space for women’s societal role besides as homemakers.
Fifth, through its voluminous examples of women succeeding and bringing forth change, Mann ki Baat has served as a publicizing platform for the government’s initiatives. The government has launched over a dozen women-specific policies over the last eight years, including Sukanya Samriddhi, Beti Bachao Beti Padaho, Stand-Up India, PM Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Mudra Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, Sarvada Shaktishaali Scheme. However, the government faces a severe challenge in making the public aware of such policies. Here, Prime Minister has used Mann ki Baat as an affordable and easy-accessible instrument to reach the widest possible audience and inform them of government initiatives. Whether allowing girls in Sainik Schools or helping women start businesses, PM Modi has dedicated considerable time to publicizing government policies and raising awareness.
In a nutshell, Prime Minister’s return to radio as a means to reach out to people showcases that the government’s focus is less on the projection of empowerment but more on delivery, wherein Mann ki Baat has been a bullhorn for women empowerment. An issue that international leaders lament that getting to gender equality will take a long time as many as 200 years, but in India the Prime Minister has given a clarion call for Nari Shakti in the making of Amrit Kal, India 100 at 2047. It is a huge challenge and an opportunity of achieving together by an Indic Civilization that conceived gender not in binaries but as two parts of a whole, the concept of Ardhanareshwar, a balance of male and female energies.
- Prof Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University.