More than 550 women from Kaprada and Nanapondha talukas of Valsad district in Gujarat came together at Kakadkopar village in Nanapondha, to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March 2026.
The event highlighted the growing leadership of rural women and their role in driving community development through digital empowerment and sustainable livelihoods. The programme was jointly organised by Larsen & Toubro Finance Limited, Larsen & Toubro Public Charitable Trust (LTPCT), and BAIF Development Research Foundation under the Digital Sakhi and Jal Vaibhav initiatives. The celebration aimed to recognise women’s leadership at the grassroots and encourage greater participation in community development initiatives.
The event was attended by representatives from partner organisations and development stakeholders, including Ms Jyoti Nimbhorkar, Senior Programme Manager representing LTPCT; Mrs Pritam Chandak, Group Vice President – Finance, BAIF; Mrs Sucharita Dhar, Senior Manager – Information and Communication, BAIF Pune; Mrs Sujata Kanagude, TPE – Women Development; Mr Prashant Dudhade, TPE – Convergence; and Mr Jitin Sathe, ACPE – South Gujarat.
A key highlight of the celebration was the felicitation of two community leaders for their contributions to local development. Ms Manjulaben Patel was recognised as the Ideal Digital Sakhi for her efforts in promoting digital awareness and community outreach, while Ms Sumitraben Valvi was honoured as the Ideal Community Resource Person (CRP) for her role in strengthening grassroots engagement.
Adding a creative dimension to the programme, Digital Sakhis presented a short play portraying their work in supporting women’s access to information, services, and community initiatives at the village level. The performance resonated strongly with participants and illustrated the impact of women-led change in rural communities.
The celebration concluded with active participation from women across the two talukas, reflecting the growing confidence and collective strength of rural women as agents of social and economic transformation.
