Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, June 12, 2026, paid tribute to India's women, describing them as the cornerstone of nation-building, as the #12YearsOfNariShakti campaign marked a significant milestone. The post, shared on X, combined a policy affirmation with a Sanskrit verse celebrating womanhood.

Context

In his post, PM Modi wrote: 'Bharat ki Narishakti rashtra nirman ki aadharshila hai' — 'India's Nari Shakti is the cornerstone of nation-building.' He added that 'our mothers, sisters, and daughters are today enhancing the glory of Mother India with their extraordinary talent and skill across every field.' The post concluded with a classical Sanskrit shloka: 'Nari trailokyajananī, Nari trailokyarūpiṇī. Nari tribhuvanādhārā, Nari shaktisvarūpiṇī' — meaning, 'Woman is the mother of the three worlds, the form of the three worlds, the foundation of the three worlds, and the very embodiment of Shakti.'

Policy Backdrop

The hashtag #12YearsOfNariShakti marks twelve years of the Nari Shakti policy framework, which has been a recurring theme of the BJP-led central government since 2014. Over this period, flagship schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, and Lakhpati Didi have been positioned as structural pillars of women's empowerment in India. The government has repeatedly cited rising female enrolment in higher education, increased women's participation in the workforce, and record numbers of women-led self-help groups as evidence of progress under this framework.

The use of Sanskrit verse in the post reflects a broader cultural-nationalist idiom that the Modi government has consistently employed when addressing gender empowerment — framing it within India's civilisational heritage rather than solely through a welfare or rights-based lens.

Stakeholders and Impact

The tribute carries significance for the over 700 million women who constitute roughly half of India's population. Schemes tied to the Nari Shakti umbrella have collectively reached crores of beneficiaries across rural and semi-urban India, with self-help groups under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana alone reportedly covering tens of millions of women. The post also signals continued political prioritisation of women voters, who have been a decisive demographic in multiple recent state and national elections.

Civil society groups and women's rights advocates have, over the years, welcomed the expansion of welfare coverage while also calling for stronger enforcement of laws against gender-based violence and greater representation of women in Parliament and state legislatures.

What's Next

The #12YearsOfNariShakti campaign is expected to be accompanied by government events, data releases, and scheme reviews spotlighting progress on women's welfare metrics. With the Union Budget cycle and several state elections on the horizon, policy announcements centred on women's economic empowerment — including expansions of the Lakhpati Didi target and credit-linked schemes — are widely anticipated. The government's continued emphasis on Nari Shakti as a brand suggests this will remain a central pillar of BJP's political and governance messaging through the electoral calendar.