Kupwara, Jammu & Kashmir – In Kupwara’s peaceful valleys, a tale of strength and empowerment is taking shape. Fancy Akhtar, a participant in the ‘Umeed Ki Kiran’ Self-Help Group (SHG), has become the beacon of how zeal, talent, and proper guidance can improve lives. Fancy, who was a skilled craftsperson with limited prospects under DAY-NRLM, has evolved into a Lakhpati Didi with more than Rs. 1 lakh a year and now aims to be a crorepati. Her story is a testament to the power of DAY-NRLM in bringing about change in empowering rural women in India. A Spark of Talent Ignited by Opportunity
Fancy Akhtar has always had a talent for craftsmanship, but like most women in rural India, she didn’t have access to markets and resources to leverage her skills into a viable livelihood. Based in Kupwara, a district famous for its natural beauty but also its economic disadvantages, Fancy had the disadvantage of weak market linkages to highlight her skills. But, her linkage with the ‘Umeed Ki Kiran’ SHG, sponsored by DAY-NRLM, proved to be a turning point. The DAY-NRLM, being a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development, focuses on poverty alleviation by mobilizing rural women into SHGs, extending their training, credit, and market linkages. Up to June 30, 2024, the scheme has enabled 10.05 crore women in 90.86 lakh SHGs, of which more than 1 crore women have become Lakhpati Didi – an SHG member with a sustainable household income of Rs. 1 lakh and above per annum.
Fancy’s success started when she became a member of the ‘Umeed Ki Kiran’ SHG. DAY-NRLM provided her with critical interventions such as skill development training, credit access, and bank linkages. These resources allowed her to start her own business, taking her natural talent to a successful venture. “Fancy had the talent, but not the platform. DAY-NRLM gave her the tools to succeed,” posted the Ministry of Rural Development on X.From Lakhpati Didi to Aspiring CrorepatiFancy’s achievement as a Lakhpati Didi is not only a personal achievement but also an inspiration to her community. Her own enterprise, based on her skills, has gradually increased, enabling her to repay loan timely and scale up the operations. Her success story is consistent with DAY-NRLM’s overall strategy that promotes SHG members to engage in multiple livelihood activities along with value chain interventions to attain sustainable incomes.
Encouraged by her success and DAY-NRLM’s inspiration, Fancy now dreams of taking her business to crorepati levels. This too is in line with the words of Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who, at a Republic Day function in 2025, stated, “Lakhpati Didis will soon advance towards becoming Crorepati and even Arabpati.” Chouhan’s statement is a reflection of the government’s faith in SHG women’s ability to create economic change.
Fancy’s dreams are backed by DAY-NRLM’s strong ecosystem. The program supports business planning through Community Resource Persons (CRPs), who help SHG members frame livelihood plans, acquire assets, skills, finance, technology, and markets. The Women Enterprise Acceleration Fund also supports individual and group enterprises, while collaborations with ministries such as Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises offer additional opportunities.
A National Movement of EmpowermentFancy’s narrative belongs to a broader one of women-led development through DAY-NRLM. Launched in 2011 and subsequently renamed, DAY-NRLM aims to integrate one woman from every rural poor family into SHGs, imparting training, financial capital, and market opportunities. The Lakhpati Didi program, which was declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 2023 Independence Day address, has an ambitious goal of developing 3 crore Lakhpati Didis, a raise from the initial target of 2 crore, after the success of 1 crore women having attained this since 2023.
The Prime Minister, in 2024, took part in the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan at Jalgaon, Maharashtra, and conferred felicitations on 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis and distributed Rs. 2,500 crore revolving funds and Rs. 5,000 crore bank loans to the members of SHGs. All these steps reflect the government’s focus on economic empowerment with a raised budgetary allocation of Rs. 15,047 crore for DAY-NRLM in the 2024-25 financial year.
Fancy’s experience also points to the convergence with other initiatives. For instance, DAY-NRLM’s integration with the National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF) and the State Bank of India ensures market linkages and finance to SHG members. In Kupwara, such collaborations have been allowing women like Fancy access larger markets, cutting out intermediaries and increasing profitability.
A Vision for the FutureFancy Akhtar’s dreams of achieving crorepati status are a testament to the changing aspirations of DAY-NRLM-empowered rural women. Her life, as of millions of Lakhpati Didis, is an example of the capacity of SHGs to change not only lives but communities. The program’s emphasis on sustainable livelihood, gender sensitivity, and climate resilience ensures that women like Fancy are prepared to face challenges in the future.
During a national workshop in June 2024, Additional Secretary Charanjit Singh stressed the need to bring SHG women into service sector business to take forward the Lakhpati Didi mission. As the service sector generates 50% of India’s GDP, such efforts unlock new opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Fancy’s appeal to internet-based marketing forums to enable trade across states, as expressed by Lakhpati Didis during the Republic Day ceremony, is in line with DAY-NRLM’s future-oriented policy. Through the use of digital resources and collaborations, the initiative seeks to empower women such as Fancy to take their enterprises to unprecedented levels.
A Beacon of HopeFancy Akhtar’s transformation from a village craftsman to a Lakhpati Didi, then an aspiring crorepati, is an inspiring tale of empowerment, strength, and desire. Her achievement highlights the reach of DAY-NRLM in enabling rural women to become financially independent and help India’s rural economy grow. As she goes on to inspire her community in Kupwara, Fancy remains a beacon of hope, an embodiment of the fact that with proper support, rural women are capable of touching new skies. As Governor Hari Bhau Bagde put it at the Lakhpati Sakhi ceremony in Jhunjhunu, “If women decide, nothing is impossible for them.” Fancy Akhtar is a living testament to this fact, and her story only begins
