August 2025, Jaipur, Rajasthan : In a heartwarming gesture ahead of Raksha Bandhan, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma marked the state-level ‘Anganwadi Behen Samman Diwas’ at Birla Auditorium, Jaipur by getting rakhis tied by Nand Ghar Didis. The event celebrated the spirit of protection, unity, and care while honouring the dedication and creativity of grassroots women leaders.
The rakhis, lovingly handcrafted by self-help group (SHG) women associated with Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) in Bhilwara and children from Nand Ghars, symbolised hope, self-reliance, and transformation. Each thread told a story not just of tradition, but of progress and pride.
On this occasion, Shri Mahendra Soni (I.A.S), Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Rajasthan, appreciated the efforts of the Nand Ghar Didis who are contributing to the nutrition, education, and overall welfare of rural children. He said, “Under ICDS, services related to nutrition, education, and health are reaching nearly 43 lakh beneficiaries through 63,000 Anganwadis. Nand Ghar, with its digitization efforts, is further strengthening these services.
Under the Nand Ghar initiative, 25,000 modern Anganwadi centres are being developed, of which over 5,000 have already been completed in Rajasthan. This initiative is giving new momentum and direction to the holistic development of women and children across the state.”
As part of the celebration, select Nand Ghar Didis were felicitated by the Hon’ble CM for their exceptional service in childcare, health, and community outreach.
The event also spotlighted the role of Vedanta’s Nand Ghar initiative, which has been instrumental in modernising Anganwadi centres and strengthening rural development infrastructure. With over 8,700 centres across 15 states including 5,000+ in Rajasthan, Nand Ghar supports early childhood education, nutrition, healthcare, and women’s empowerment.
This Raksha Bandhan, the bond between the state and its empowered women grew even stronger, woven with threads of dignity, purpose, and shared progress.
About Nand Ghar:
Nand Ghar, a flagship social impact project under the Anil Agarwal Foundation, is a model project working towards strengthening the Anganwadi ecosystem of the country. The 8700+ Nand Ghars are the enabler of change and sustainable development with a presence in 15 states across India and currently impacting more than 3.4 lakh children and 2.5 lakh women. Set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Nand Ghars are modernized ‘Anganwadis, providing development opportunities through nutrition initiatives, digital early childhood education, healthcare services, and women empowerment activities. Nand Ghars, the state-of-the-art Anganwadis, aim to transform the lives of 7 crore children and 2 crore women across the 13.7 lakh Anganwadis across the country.
About Anil Agarwal Foundation:
The Anil Agarwal Foundation is the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s community and social initiatives. The focus areas of the Foundation are healthcare, women and child development, animal welfare projects, and sports promotion. Anil Agarwal Foundation aims to empower communities, transform lives, and facilitate nation building through sustainable and inclusive growth.
