The Ministry of Rural Development, through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), concluded its four-day participation at Bharat Tex 2026, showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit and craftsmanship of rural women associated with Self Help Groups (SHGs). The Ministry's pavilion served as a platform for Lakhpati Didis from across the country to engage with buyers, industry representatives, and visitors while highlighting India's rich textile and handicraft traditions.
On the concluding day, senior officials including Smt. Neelam Shami Rao (Secretary, Ministry of Textiles), Shri T.K. Anil Kumar (Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development), Ms. Jayasree (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development), and Ms. Swati Sharma (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development) visited the pavilion and interacted with participating Lakhpati Didis, learning about their entrepreneurial journeys and exploring diverse handloom and handcrafted products.
The exhibition attracted buyers, exporters, industry stakeholders, and visitors from India and abroad, providing women entrepreneurs opportunities to present products, exchange ideas, and explore market expansion avenues. The pavilion featured an extensive collection of handloom products including Pattachitra, Pen Kalamkari, Phulkari embroidery, Eri silk, and Pashmina, reflecting the creativity and skills of rural women from different regions.
A key attraction was the Saras Shakti Collection, a premium gifting initiative under DAY-NRLM that brings together carefully curated handcrafted products created by rural women SHGs, focusing on quality, design, packaging, and market readiness to help women-led enterprises access institutional and premium markets while preserving traditional crafts authenticity.
DAY-NRLM has mobilized over 10 crore rural women into Self Help Groups across India, and the Lakhpati Didi initiative has crossed the milestone of 3 crore Lakhpati Didis, with the government working toward creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis. The participation highlighted the growing contribution of women-led SHG enterprises to India's textile and handicraft sector, with DAY-NRLM providing support in accessing finance, skill strengthening, enterprise development, and market linkages.