Women’s empowerment and rural outreach celebrated at Delhi gathering

Sangini Saheli, a women-led initiative working at the grassroots to support community development, marked its five-year anniversary with a commemorative event at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The event brought together public figures, SHG leaders, educators, and youth to reflect on the journey so far and outline the path ahead.

The event was curated and hosted by Priyal Bhardwaj, General Secretary of the BJP Mahila Morcha (Delhi), who also serves as the founder of the initiative. Over the past five years, she has led efforts to mobilise Self Help Groups (SHGs), promote skilling and livelihood training, and encourage community-based action across Delhi-NCR and beyond.

Bhardwaj said, “Good intentions are not enough. They need good infrastructure. And infrastructure doesn’t just mean buildings or broadband. It means trust, process, and people who stay.”

The event featured several elements that reflected the work done over the past five years: a cultural performance by students of Sanskrit Bharti, a curated SHG exhibition showcasing local enterprise, and a screening of Sangini Saheli Through the Years, a short film highlighting the initiative’s impact.

The celebration was attended by several notable guests, including  Baijayant Panda, Member of Parliament and National Vice President of the BJP, who served as Chief Guest said, “The women associated with this movement—whether in rural collectives, SHGs, or local urban networks—are not just participants. They are pivotal agents of India’s transformation,” he said. Their work represents what inclusive development can look like when it begins from the ground up.”

In his address, he commended the initiative for embodying the true spirit of “Viksit Bharat”, a vision championed by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The event also saw participation from Bansuri Swaraj, Member of Parliament (New Delhi), Dr Neerja Bhatla, Padma Shri awardee and gynaecologist, Ananya Goenka, founder of Udaan Trust, and Hrishitaa Bhatt, actress.

The celebration concluded with a forward-looking message: the initiative now aims to expand further into rural regions, with a stronger focus on livelihoods, skilling, and access to education for women and youth.