Rajasthan woman Sarpanch highlights rural innovations at BRICS Women’s Ministerial Meeting

Sarpanch Neeru Yadav represented India at the global event under India’s presidency as a grassroots woman representative and panelist

Published: July 18, 2026 05:00 am IST | Location: JAIPUR Source: The Hindu Bureau

Distinguished woman Sarpanch Neeru Yadav from Lambi Ahir in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district highlighted rural innovations, women’s leadership, and the panchayat-based development model before delegates from multiple countries at the BRICS Women’s Ministerial Meeting-2026 in Kochi, Kerala, earlier this month.

Selected by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and U.N. Women India, Ms. Yadav, 36, represented the country at the global event, held on July 8 and 9 under India’s presidency, as a grassroots woman representative and panelist. She shared her “village to global” journey on the occasion.

Background and Achievements

The young Sarpanch is known in Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region for her initiatives in:

• Farming and agricultural marketing
• Skill development
• Health and nutrition
• Women’s sports

Elected Sarpanch of Lambi Ahir, falling in Buhana tehsil, in October 2020, she has been contributing her salary for the cause of the girl child.

BRICS Meeting Overview

The BRICS meeting brought together Ministers, senior officials, and policy experts from 11 countries:

• India
• Brazil
• Russia
• China
• South Africa
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Iran
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Indonesia

The conference featured discussions on key themes, including:

• Women’s leadership
• Economic empowerment
• Digital inclusion
• Skill development
• Sustainable rural development

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, Minister of State Savitri Thakur, and other dignitaries participated in different sessions.

Panel Discussion and Key Remarks

Ms. Yadav shared her perspective on the possibilities of adopting successful models of women’s leadership and rural development at the panchayat level on a global scale during the panel discussion.

“The small initiatives of our village have reached a global stage… This is proof of the strength of India’s panchayat system, rural democracy and women’s leadership,” Ms. Yadav said.

Given an opportunity to lead, women could change the direction of development not just for their village, but for society at large and the world, she added.

Key Initiatives Behind Global Recognition

Ms. Yadav’s notable initiatives include:

• Girls’ hockey team: Formation and training funded through her honorarium
• Utensil bank: Established to eliminate the use of plastic and thermocol at weddings and social events
• Naari Disha programme: Connecting women to digital literacy, financial inclusion, and self-employment
• Environmental initiative: “Mera Ped, Mera Dost” (my tree, my friend), encouraging people to build an emotional bond with trees, and promoting eco-friendly traditions to gift plants at family occasions, linking social customs with environmental conservation

Previous International Recognition

The Union government had in 2024 selected Ms. Yadav to represent the country at the 57th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) at United Nations headquarters in New York.

Published - July 18, 2026 05:00 am IST