Patna: 9 March 2025 :: Gargi Inspired “Gargi Nari Shakti Conference 2025” held with Honoring 250+ Inspirational Women from Bihar, 51 Women Awarded Gargi Excellence Award, Radha Shailendra Receives Dr. Usha Kiran Khan Memorial Award, Priya Mallik Honored with Gargi Pride of Bihar Award. IPS Vikas Vaibhav stated that the Gargi chapter under the “Let’s Inspire Bihar” initiative is dedicated to the memory of the revered scholar Gargi Vachaknavi, who challenged the greatest minds of ancient India with her wisdom. He mentioned that when the idea of opening Gargi Schools was first discussed, there were doubts about its success. However, today, this campaign, which started with just 3 Gargi centers in Patna, has expanded to 24 centers across various parts of Bihar. further he said that Bihar is currently in a transition phase, and change is inevitable. For this, we need to remain hopeful and continue to selflessly contribute to society. In his speech, Vikas Vaibhav emphasized the importance of women’s participation in the development of Bihar. He mentioned that to further empower women in Bihar, we must make use of information technology and digital interfaces.
Sr. IPS, Vikas Vaibhav shared a personal experience in his speech about how he was astonished when he saw a woman driving a truck in Singapore many years ago. Relating this experience to the activities of the Auto Rickshaw Union in Muzaffarpur, he said that by 2047, we need to create an environment where women’s participation is ensured in all fields with security. He said that by 2047, we aim to build a developed Bihar, part of a developed India, where no one should need to leave for education, employment, or healthcare. This will only be possible with the active participation of women. He also noted that today, millions of Biharis have come together, rising above caste, community, gender, and ideological differences. Over 170,000+ people have voluntarily joined the campaign’s chapters, dedicating their positive contributions, including 12,000+ women. This is a very promising sign for the future.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Gargi chapter organized the Grand Gargi Nari Shakti Conference 2025 under the Let’s Inspire Bihar campaign at the JD Women’s College Auditorium in Patna. The theme of the event was “Accelerating Action.” The conference honored over 250 women from across Bihar who have made remarkable contributions in their respective fields, bringing about positive changes in society and inspiring other women.
The campaign’s Chief coordinator, Rahul Kumar Singh, honored the women by presenting the Chunari (sacred cloth) of Mata Aranya Devi of Ara to nine young girls. He also presented Chunari to IPS officer Mr. Vikas Vaibhav and Gargi Chapter’s Chief Coordinator Dr. Preeti Bala.
The honored women have made distinctive marks in the fields of education, entrepreneurship, arts, literature, social service, sports, medicine, acting, dance, music, and justice. All the winners are originally from Bihar, with many traveling from other states to attend the event in Patna. Thousands of women had submitted nominations for this honor, and after a rigorous selection process, these inspirational women were chosen.
Address by Vikas Vaibhav:
Attending the event as the chief guest, the dynamic and a hugely popular senior IPS officer and founder of Let’s Inspire Bihar, Vikas Vaibhav, stated that Bihar has always been the land of the highly learned Gargi Vachaknavi, whose principle was to believe only in what she had personally experienced as truth. The Gargi-Yajnavalkya Dialogue, in that ancient Bihar, during a time when the intellectual prowess of women was not recognized anywhere else in the world, stands as a living testament to the intellectual excellence of women in Bihar. This campaign is dedicated to the memory of the erudite Gargi Vachaknavi, who challenged the greatest scholars of ancient India with her wisdom.
Vikas Vaibhav emphasized that building a developed Bihar within a developed India by 2047 is no easy task. Citing a report, he mentioned that Bihar’s current monthly per capita income is merely ₹5,028, the lowest in India, compared to Sikkim’s ₹48,979. Although Bihar’s growth rate is around 14.5%, even at this pace, achieving the vision of a developed Bihar by 2047 remains a significant challenge. To meet this goal, it is crucial to initiate an entrepreneurship revolution in Bihar. This requires rising above caste, community, gender, and ideological differences. Women’s empowerment plays a critical role in this journey.
He further stated that Bihar is currently in a transition phase, and change is inevitable. However, while staying hopeful, everyone must contribute positively to society. He compared this transformation to the mobile revolution that occurred over the last 20-25 years. Back then, no one could have imagined that mobile phones and internet access would become so widespread. Similarly, we must remain optimistic about future changes.
While discussing the Gargi Pathshala initiative under the Gargi Chapter, Vaibhav mentioned his initial doubts about its success. However, the campaign that began with just three centers in Patna has now expanded to 24 centers across Bihar, with 19 of them run by women. He congratulated Dr. Preeti Bala, the chief coordinator of the Gargi Chapter, and her dedicated team for this remarkable achievements.
Vaibhav shared an experience from 10-12 years ago when he was surprised to see a woman driving a truck in Singapore. Today, through the Let’s Inspire Bihar campaign, even the Auto Rickshaw Union in Muzaffarpur has joined, including many female drivers. He expressed pride and happiness that what once seemed surprising abroad is now a reality in Bihar. This is a powerful example of women’s empowerment. When a woman drives an auto or cab, it also fosters a sense of safety among other women who might otherwise feel hesitant or unsafe while traveling. These small changes hold deep significance and potential in Bihar’s social context.
He stressed that Bihar lacks no potential, and women’s power has always been strong and revered here. Gargi Vachaknavi amazed the world with her intellectual excellence at a time when there was no such concept anywhere else. What Bihar needs now is to awaken the lion engraved on Emperor Ashoka’s pillars, and this roar is impossible without the participation of women.
Mr. Vaibhav highlighted the importance of women’s involvement in Bihar’s development. To further empower women, he suggested leveraging information technology and digital interfaces. He proposed two specific ideas:
Creating digital work opportunities for women who prefer working from home and
promoting women-led industries to access global markets.
He emphasized a gradual, systematic approach towards 2047, focusing on connecting women with the industrial sector. He noted that an entrepreneurship revolution in Bihar is not possible without the active involvement of women.
Currently, over 1,70,000 people have voluntarily joined the Let’s Inspire Bihar campaign. The Gargi Chapter has emerged as a leading platform for progressive women in Bihar, driving positive social change through initiatives like Gargi Pathshala, Gargi Art & Skill Centers, and other inspiring activities.
Vikas Vaibhav concluded by highlighting Bihar’s rich tradition of knowledge, valor, and entrepreneurship since ancient times. He emphasized the need to channel this energy in the right direction, moving beyond narrow-mindedness to contribute to national interests. Women’s role is crucial in this endeavor, and this conference marks a significant step towards achieving this objective.
Bihar’s Cultural Heritage and Inspiration from the Gargi Chapter
The Gargi Chapter was established to revive Bihar’s rich intellectual tradition, with the aim of empowering women in education and entrepreneurship. Currently, 24 Gargi Pathshalas (schools) are operating in various districts of Bihar, providing free education by learned women. Additionally, women’s entrepreneurship is being promoted through the Gargi Kala Kaushal Kendra (Art and Skill Center) and Gargi Kritya initiatives.
Awards Presented at the Conference:
At this grand event, awards were presented in various categories:
After reviewing thousands of nominations, 51 distinguished women were honored with the Gargi Excellence Award.
180 women received the Gargi Appreciation Award. 10 selected Gargi Speakers delivered insightful talks on topics related to the upliftment of women in Bihar. Priya Mallik was honored with the Gargi Pride of Bihar award. 4 recipients received the Gargi Equality Award. 5 individuals were honored with the Gargi Excellent Leadership Award. Radha Shailendra from Katihar was awarded the Dr. Usha Kiran Khan Memorial Award for excellence in the field of literature.
The Grandeur of the Conference and Distinguished Guests
The historic event featured distinguished guests, including:
Padma Shri awardee Nirmala Ji, Former member of the National Commission for Women, Sushma Sahu Ji, Popular Folk singer Neetu Kumari Nutan Ji, Vice- Chancellor of Jai Prakash University, Saran, Professor Parmendra Kumar Vajpayee ji, Sujeet Nayan, Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India, President of Bihar Mahila Udyog Sangh, Usha Jha ji, Retired Wing Commander Umesh Tripathi Ji, Head of the Arts and Social Sciences Faculty at IIT Patna, Shweta Sahi Ji, Professor Dr. Farhad Hasan from Patna Women’s College Psychology Department, President of the Sakhi Bahinpa Organization, Nisha Madan Jha Ji among other prominent personalities. The event saw the gracious presence of several other eminent personalities.
The chief coordinator of the Gargi Chapter, Dr. Preeti Bala, warmly welcomed all the guests. The program commenced with Vedic chants and lamp lighting by the students of Gargi Pathshala, creating a spiritual and inspiring atmosphere.
To showcase Bihar’s rich culture, folk dances, traditional cuisines, and other cultural programs were organized. The entire event was coordinated by Neha Singh and Shayrin Iram, among other team members of the Gargi Chapter.
During the event, author Sudha Pandey’s book “Jaane Kahan Gaye Wo Din” was unveiled by Vikas Vaibhav.
The conference hall was attended by key members of the Let’s Inspire Bihar campaign, including Rahul Kumar Singh, Kumar Rahul, Anup Narayan Singh, Abhishek, Satish Gandhi, Rohit, Amir Ahmed, Ashish Ranjan, Sonu, Abhishek Jha, Ram Avatar Rai, Bindu Chaudhary, Shobha Yadav, Ranjana, Neha Singh, Mukesh Rathore, Sonu Raj, Shiv Prasad, Pratap Aman, Ved Vrat Mishra, Jaswant, Nutan Kumari Sasaram, Ratnesh, and other members.
