Bhubaneswar: Union minister of state for women and child development, Savitri Thakur, on Friday made headlines with a heartwarming gesture on Friday when she stepped out of her vehicle to join farmers in a roadside paddy field in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district.
Thakur, who hails from a farming family herself, couldn’t resist the urge to connect with her roots as she observed farmers at work in Dulpur village, Papdahandi block.
On her way from Kalahandi to Nabarangpur, the sight of farmers reaping paddy in the afternoon sun moved the Union minister to pause her journey. Stopping at the edge of the field, she approached the farmers and borrowed a sickle, the traditional harvesting tool, and began reaping alongside them. Her warm smile and easy manner instantly put the farmers at ease, as they shared a moment that highlighted the deep connection between the minister and the agricultural community.
As she worked, Thakur engaged in conversation with the farmers, asking about their lives and checking if they were benefitting from central government programmes, including the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Nidhi Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. She also inquired if they were receiving the minimum support price for their produce, expressing genuine concern about the economic stability of their livelihoods.
Thakur’s agricultural roots run deep. Growing up in a farming family in Madhya Pradesh, she developed a close understanding of the hardships and hopes of farmers.
Nabarangpur District Collector Dr. Shubhakar Mohapatra, Chief Development Officer (CDO) Biranchi Narayan Darwan, and other local officials were also present during the encounter, observing how the Union minister’s hands-on approach resonated with the people.
At 46, Thakur is a celebrated tribal leader in Madhya Pradesh and a prominent figure in the BJP. Her journey in public service began in 2003 as a district panchayat member, rising to president before taking on leadership roles at both the state and national levels. She won her first Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and recently achieved a major victory in the 2024 elections, defeating Congress candidate Radheshyam Muvel by an impressive margin of 2.18 lakh votes.
