Uttarakhand's Lakhpati Didi Kiran Joshi Represents State at BRICS Meet in Kochi
Synopsis
Kiran Joshi, a Lakhpati Didi from Nainital district, represented Uttarakhand at a BRICS conference in Kochi, Kerala, displaying the state's traditional products on a global stage — a step linking India's grassroots women's livelihood scheme with multilateral economic diplomacy.
Key Takeaways
Kiran Joshi of Nainital district represented Uttarakhand at a BRICS conference in Kochi, Kerala on or before 14 July 2026 .
She showcased Uttarakhand's traditional products — including items typical of Nainital such as woollens, herbs, and handloom goods — to an international audience.
The Lakhpati Didi scheme, launched by the Government of India in 2023 under DAY-NRLM , aims to help two crore rural women earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually via self-help groups.
Uttarakhand is among several Indian states sending Lakhpati Didi beneficiaries to multilateral forums, aligning grassroots livelihood work with economic diplomacy.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand publicised the participation, underlining the state government's emphasis on women-led development and export promotion.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on 14 July 2026 that Kiran Joshi, a Lakhpati Didi from Nainital district, represented the state at a BRICS conference held in Kochi, Kerala, where she showcased traditional products from Uttarakhand on a global platform.
Context
The CMO's post stated: 'Janapada Nainital ki Lakhpati Didi Kiran Joshi ne Kerala ke Kochi mein aayojit BRICS sammelan mein Uttarakhand ka pratinidhitva kiya' — ('Lakhpati Didi Kiran Joshi of Nainital district represented Uttarakhand at the BRICS conference held in Kochi, Kerala'). She used the occasion to display the state's traditional products before an international audience. The post was accompanied by a video documenting her participation and the products she presented.
Policy Backdrop
The Lakhpati Didi initiative was formally launched by the Government of India in 2023 under the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), with a target of enabling two crore rural women to earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually through self-help groups and skill development. Nainital, a hill district in Uttarakhand, is known for its traditional crafts including woollens, herbs, and handloom products — the kind of offerings that lend themselves well to export-oriented promotion. Uttarakhand has consistently leveraged its GI-tagged and organic produce to seek wider market access through trade and diplomatic forums.
Stakeholders and Impact
Several Indian states have begun deputing Lakhpati Didi beneficiaries to multilateral and trade forums, linking grassroots livelihood schemes with India's economic diplomacy at platforms such as BRICS and SCO. For Kiran Joshi, the Kochi event marks a significant step from village-level self-help group activity to international representation — a trajectory the scheme's architects envisioned when they connected rural women producers to global value chains. The broader beneficiary group — rural women's self-help groups across Uttarakhand — stands to gain visibility and potential market linkages from such exposure.
What's Next
Uttarakhand's decision to send a Lakhpati Didi to a BRICS-level gathering signals the state's intent to use multilateral forums for product diplomacy beyond routine domestic exhibitions. Observers will watch whether this participation translates into concrete export orders or buyer linkages for Nainital's traditional products. Further state-level selections of Lakhpati Didis for upcoming BRICS or other multilateral side events, and any parliamentary updates on the scheme's coverage in Himalayan districts, will indicate how systematically this model scales.
Point of View
The optics of a Nainital woman on an international stage also reinforce the 'double engine' narrative linking central and state schemes. Whether such participation yields tangible market linkages for Uttarakhand's artisans will determine if it becomes a replicable model or remains largely symbolic.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Kiran Joshi and why is she in the news?
Kiran Joshi is a Lakhpati Didi beneficiary from Nainital district in Uttarakhand. She is in the news because she represented Uttarakhand at a BRICS conference held in Kochi, Kerala, where she displayed the state's traditional products on an international platform.
What is the Lakhpati Didi scheme?
The Lakhpati Didi scheme is a Government of India initiative launched in 2023 under DAY-NRLM. It aims to enable two crore rural women to earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually through self-help groups, skill development, and market linkages.
What products did Uttarakhand showcase at the BRICS conference in Kochi?
The CMO's post stated that Kiran Joshi showcased Uttarakhand's traditional products at the Kochi BRICS conference. Nainital district is known for woollens, herbs, and handloom goods, which are typical of the state's GI-tagged and organic produce promoted at such events.
Why is Uttarakhand sending Lakhpati Didis to BRICS and other international forums?
Uttarakhand, like several other Indian states, is linking grassroots women's livelihood schemes with economic diplomacy by deputing Lakhpati Didi beneficiaries to multilateral forums. The aim is to showcase local products to global buyers and align rural development outcomes with India's international trade agenda.
What is DAY-NRLM and how does it relate to Lakhpati Didi?
DAY-NRLM stands for Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission, the central government's flagship rural poverty alleviation programme. The Lakhpati Didi initiative operates under DAY-NRLM, using its self-help group network to help rural women cross the Rs 1 lakh annual income threshold.
