Jaipur, January 25, 2026: Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje addressed a powerful gathering of women leaders and community members at the Jat Mahila Shakti Sangam programme held at the Constitution Club in Jaipur on Saturday, emphasising the continued struggle women face in Indian politics and urging greater empowerment and participation.
Raje, a senior political figure and long-standing voice for women’s empowerment, was welcomed as the chief guest at the event, where she highlighted the need for women to work significantly harder than men to make their mark in public life. “Women have to work three times harder than men to earn recognition and space in politics,” she said, underlining the persistent gender barriers that women encounter in leadership roles.
Progress and the Road Ahead
Reflecting on strides made since India’s independence, Raje cited encouraging statistical improvements: women’s literacy has increased from a mere 9 per cent at independence to around 65 per cent today, while their participation as election candidates has risen from 3 per cent in 1957 to nearly 10 per cent now. She also pointed to the rise in women’s representation in Parliament, from 22 women MPs in the first Lok Sabha to 74 today, and from 15 women members in the Rajya Sabha in 1952 to 42 currently.
Despite these gains, Raje stressed that true gender parity remains elusive. “While progress has been made, women are still under-represented, and their numbers must be equal to those of men,” she added, urging society to support women’s leadership and participation more robustly.
Championing Women’s Empowerment
Raje underscored education as a critical pillar for women’s success, referencing leaders such as President Droupadi Murmu and former President Pratibha Patil as inspiring examples of what women can achieve when empowered. She also lauded several prominent women leaders for their contributions to politics and society, including Dr. Kamla Beniwal, Hema Malini, Sumitra Singh, Priyanka Chaudhary, Rita Chaudhary, Dr. Shikha Meel, Padma Shri awardee Krishna Poonia, Kamla Kanswa, and Divya Maderna, highlighting their accomplishments and influence.
The event saw participation from women representatives across political lines, with voices from both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress, reinforcing the shared recognition of the need for collective action toward women’s political empowerment.
Raje’s message resonated with attendees who called for continued efforts to ensure that women are not just present but influential in decision-making arenas, within local governance, state legislatures and national politics.
The Jat Mahila Shakti Sangam programme served as both a platform for conversation and a rallying call for enhanced gender equality in Indian public life, a theme Raje passionately articulated from the Jaipur stage.