Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai: Pioneer of Good Governance & Women Self-reliance
Friday, 30 May 2025 (21:36 IST)
Dr. Mohan Yadav
Heartfelt salutations on the 300th birth anniversary of the virtuous Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar….
On this occasion, the Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Women Empowerment Grand Convention is being organized today in Bhopal. The entire responsibility of this event is being handled by women power (Matri Shakti). Honorable and illustrious Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji is coming to Bhopal to attend this festival of women empowerment and self-reliance. On behalf of the 85 million people of Madhya Pradesh, I extend a heartfelt welcome to the Prime Minister. It is a matter of great fortune for us that the celebration of the virtuous Devi Ahilyabai Holkar's birth anniversary, to be held over the coming year, is being inaugurated today from the soil of Madhya Pradesh. For this, heartfelt thanks to the Honorable Prime Minister.
Devi Ahilyabai Holkar presented an ideal of complete good governance, a self-reliant, self-sufficient and harmonious society, and a safe and prosperous state. From east to west and north to south, she renovated and reconstructed about 130 dilapidated temples. She constructed river ghats, dharmshalas (rest houses), initiated free meal services, and established permanent arrangements for worship and religious rituals. She reinstated the cultural pride of the country and united the nation with a common thread. Her reign was not only a golden era but also a period of cultural renaissance for the nation.
Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai carried out unprecedented work for women’s self-reliance and empowerment. On one hand, she formed a women’s military unit to ensure a tight security system. On the other hand, she took revolutionary decisions for women’s social respect and self-dependence. She gave women rights in property, the right of a widow to adopt a son, and the right to remarry, and made rules to prohibit the dowry system. For the wives of soldiers martyred in the army, she established the Maheshwari sari industry in Maheshwar and created a global example of women’s prosperity. Her Holkar state became an ideal of good governance, self-rule, orderliness, prosperity, development, and construction. She turned Maheshwar into a center of craft, art, culture, education, literature, industry, and trade, and expanded it across the country.
During her reign, the Holkar state became an example of an effective communication system, Panchayati Raj, judiciary, tight security system, and urban as well as rural planning. Throughout her life, she remained dedicated to Lord Shiva and society. The works done by Ahilyabai Holkar for social development and women empowerment are a glorious part of our heritage.
I am pleased to inform that the Madhya Pradesh Government is ceremonially celebrating the tercentenary year of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar. Dedicating this to Lokmata Ahilyabai, a symbol of valor and bravery, weapon worship programs were organized across the state on the festival of Vijayadashami. Various programs based on her life, achievements, and personality have been conducted in Madhya Pradesh — including workshops, lectures, seminars, plays, mega-dramas, etc. We made efforts to bring Devi Ahilyabai’s thoughts, deeds, and ideals to the society through intellectual and cultural activities. Her insights on character building, family harmony, environmental conservation, social and nation-building were presented to the public.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the formula of development along with heritage to make India the world’s most prosperous and powerful nation. In line with this formula, we have launched a campaign to preserve the glorious heritage of the state and inspire society through the personalities of ideal national heroes while implementing our development plans.
Keeping in mind the holistic development of the state, we have taken a historic initiative called Destination Cabinet. This initiative realizes the vision of Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to promote tourism. With the aim of remembering our glorious heritage along with modern development and moving forward by drawing inspiration from ideal heroes, we held two cabinet meetings in memory of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar. The first meeting was held on January 24, 2025, at the fort of Maheshwar, and the second on May 20, 2025, at Rajwada in Indore. In the first meeting, a decision was taken to implement prohibition in 19 sacred sites of the state. This decision will help maintain the sanctity of religious places and strengthen women’s social and economic empowerment. In the second meeting, a decision was taken to launch the Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Training Programme.
The path set by Ahilyabai Holkar regarding women empowerment has been carried forward by Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji. In the 300th birth anniversary year of the virtuous Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar, we have attempted to fulfill the guiding mantra of GYAN (Garib, Yuva, Kisan, Nari — Poor, Youth, Farmer, Woman) given by the Prime Minister. For the holistic development of the fourth pillar ‘Nari’ (woman), the Devi Ahilyabai Women Empowerment Mission has been launched. Through this mission, the women of the state will become self-reliant, and their economic and social development will gain momentum.
The major objectives of the mission include ensuring education, health, nutrition, economic development, and security for women and girls, ensuring access to various government services, and working for the economic self-reliance of women. Key goals of the mission include increasing the girl child sex ratio, increasing girl child education, reducing maternal mortality rate, reducing crimes against women, stopping child marriage, and increasing female participation in the workforce.
The Madhya Pradesh government is committed to realizing overall development by following the path shown by Devi Ahilyabai in women empowerment, farmer welfare, social welfare, and good governance. We have taken effective steps in the direction of women leadership and empowerment by incorporating the principles and ideals of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai into the state’s policies and planning.
Various efforts are being made at different levels for women empowerment in Madhya Pradesh. Several schemes have been started for women’s education, health, security, and economic self-reliance. This has provided women with strong opportunities in employment, self-employment, healthcare, and security. Especially through schemes like Ladli Bahna Yojana, Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Mission, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, and Ladli Laxmi Yojana, positive changes have occurred in the lives of women. One Stop Centers have been established in all districts, and women and child helplines have been provided for safety. Women Entrepreneur Dedicated Industry Parks have been set up to ensure security, convenience, and respect for women workers. In the MSME Policy 2025, up to 50% capital grant has been provisioned for women entrepreneurs for their self-employment and skill development.
I am pleased to say that Madhya Pradesh has been recognized as a top tourism destination in the world. Through innovation, under the Safe Tourism Destination for Women scheme, 10,000 women have been trained for tourism services. I am satisfied to share that Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to increase reservation for women in government services from 33% to 35%.
Various campaigns and programs like Lado Abhiyan, Shaurya Dal,Chief Minister Women Empowerment Scheme, and Chief Minister CommunityLeadership Capacity Development Programme are being run in the state. Through the Sanitation and Hygiene Scheme, financial assistance has been provided to 1.9 million girls. More than 1.8 million women — including widows, abandoned women, and mothers with only daughters — are being given social security pensions in the state. From birth to lifelong stages, women are being provided with security, respect, and support through various schemes. The women of the state are becoming self-reliant and independent, and writing a new story of development through innovation.
I have full faith that this prosperity of women will play a vital role in empowering families, society, the state, and the nation. The efforts made by Lokmata Ahilyabai to empower women are now visibly taking shape with continuity and progress on the soil of Madhya Pradesh. Once again, respectful salutations to the virtuous Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar….
