Mann ki Baat: PM Modi calls women drone operators ‘sky warriors’, says they usher in new revolution in agriculture sector

New Delhi: Refering “Drone Didis” as “Sky warriors”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted the women of the village who are flying drones, ushering in a new revolution in the agriculture sector.

Addressing the 122nd episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi said, “Today, there are many women who are working in the fields as well as touching the heights of the sky. Yes! You heard it right; now the women of the village are flying drones as Drone Didi and ushering in a new revolution in agriculture. In Sangareddy district of Telangana, women who had to depend on others till some time ago.”

“Today those very women are completing the work of spraying pesticides on 50 acres of land with the help of drones. Three hours in the morning, two hours in the evening and the work is done. Neither the scorching sun nor the danger of poisonous chemicals. The villagers have also accepted this change wholeheartedly. Now these women are not known as ‘drone operators’ but as ‘sky warriors’,” he added.

Notably, Namo Drone Didi is a central sector scheme aiming to empower women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by equipping them with drone technology to provide agricultural services.

Through this scheme, the Government of India is taking a significant step towards advancing agricultural practices while empowering women in rural areas. This initiative aligns with the government’s broader goals of promoting women-led development and infusing technology into traditional sectors like agriculture. The scheme promises to revolutionise farming practices, provide a sustainable income source for SHGs, and inspire a new generation of women entrepreneurs in rural India.

Prime Minister in his monthly radio programme, also praised the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for climbing the “world’s most difficult” peak, Mount Makalu.

“Just imagine a person is climbing snowy mountains, where it is difficult to breathe and there is danger to life at every step, and still that person is engaged in cleaning there. Something similar has been done by members of our ITBP team. Our ITBP team went to climb the world’s most difficult peak, Mount Makalu,” the Prime Minister stated.

He further said that the ITBP personnel who climbed Mount Makalu also took up the task of removing the garbage lying near the peak.

“But they didn’t just climb the mountain; they also took up the task of removing the garbage lying near the peak! The members of this team brought down more than 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste with them,” he added.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) successfully scaled Mt Makalu (8,485 m), the world’s fifth highest peak, on April 19, marking the first-ever ascent of the peak by any Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

The summit was part of ITBP’s historic International Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Makalu and Mt Annapurna (8,091 m), flagged off from ITBP Headquarters in New Delhi on March 21.

This dual-peak mission, a first in the force’s history, showcased ITBP’s enduring legacy in high-altitude operationsLed by Deputy Commandant Anoop Kumar Negi, with Deputy Commandant Nihas Suresh as deputy leader, the 12-member expedition team was split into two groups of six.

The Makalu group recorded an 83 per cent summit success rate, with five climbers reaching the peak around 08:15 hrs on April 19. The successful summiteers included Assistant Commandant Sanjay Kumar, Head Constable (HC) Sonam Stobdan, HC Pradeep Panwar, HC Bahadur Chand, and Constable Vimal Kumar.

Meanwhile, the Annapurna team battled extreme conditions, including blizzards and whiteouts, reaching an altitude of 7,940 meters–just 150 meters shy of the summit–before retreating safely at 14:45 hrs on the same day.

In line with its “Clean Himalaya – Save Glacier” campaign, the expedition collected 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste from high-altitude camps, reinforcing ITBP’s environmental commitment.

With the successful ascent of Mt Makalu, the ITBP has now scaled six of the world’s 14 eight-thousanders, including Mt Everest, Mt Kanchenjunga, Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Lhotse, and Mt Manaslu. The force has conquered a total of 229 peaks to date, underscoring its unmatched expertise and resilience in some of the harshest terrains on earth.