The Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh and with support from NABARD, NIRDPR and Kudumbashree, organized the First National SARAS Mela outside Delhi-NCR at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada. The event, which continues till 31 October 2026 and is open daily from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm, provides a platform for women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to showcase their entrepreneurial journeys and traditional crafts.
The mela features Lakhpati Didis - women from SHG households achieving sustainable annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh, which is central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of creating six crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029. Under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), women receive skills, finance and market access to build their income. Several featured entrepreneurs have achieved remarkable financial success, with annual turnovers ranging from ₹60 lakh to ₹1 crore.
Detailed Case Studies of Successful Entrepreneurs
Chandrakala from Lotus SHG, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh took over her family's woodcarving workshop in 2007 after her husband's passing. Through SHG support and participation in exhibitions across Chennai, Mumbai, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Delhi, she has built an enterprise with annual turnover exceeding ₹1 crore. The business pays approximately ₹10 lakh monthly GST and employs over 100 members. Her products are supplied through Lepakshi emporium showroom to multiple cities and are procured for gifting to ministers and celebrities.
Siddhi from Mahamaya SHG, North Goa built an ethnic wear business through Instagram after completing a fashion designing diploma. With self-funding and SHG support, she now runs a boutique with a team of 7-10 people, achieving annual turnover of ₹60 lakh. Her business blissbysiddhi.in serves international customers in Singapore, UAE, USA and other countries through India Post.
Kunwari Barwa from Mahila Vikas Mandal Baghima Palkot FPO, Gumla, Jharkhand began with a self-help group where women saved ₹2 each. The group formed a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) in 2022 that has grown from 381 to 1,501 members. The collective cultivates ragi and produces ragi laddoos, thekua and savory snacks, achieving monthly product sales of ₹6-7 lakh. The enterprise provides regular work for over 150 women.
Singampalli Parwathi from Sri Durga Bhavani Farmer Producer Group, Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh started with a ₹20,000 loan in 2018 to trade raw cashew nuts. With subsequent loans of ₹50,000 and ₹2 lakh from the group, plus ₹3 lakh bank financing under PMEGP, she established a cashew-processing unit. She now processes cashews into 11 different grades, supplies customers nationwide, and achieves annual turnover of approximately ₹50 lakh.
Government Support and Future Plans
President Droupadi Murmu, in her inauguration address, encouraged women to grow their enterprises beyond the Lakhpati milestone and emphasized women's control over income and assets as a measure of empowerment. She announced that SARAS Melas would be organized every year in different states to give rural women more opportunities to showcase products, reach new customers, and strengthen financial independence. The event features a 16-foot installation called "SHAKTI - The Spirit of Lakhpati Didi" representing these entrepreneurial journeys.