The Ministry of Women and Child Development organised a public outreach event titled “Shakti Walk — #SheLeadsBharat” along Kartavya Path in New Delhi on March 8, 2026, coinciding with International Women’s Day, according to a PIB press release issued ahead of the event and subsequent reporting by Radiance Media Group and PublicNow.
The event featured over 3,000 women participants drawn from more than 200 central ministries and diverse professional sectors including the armed forces, police, aviation, and healthcare, according to the PIB release. The walk covered a two-kilometre stretch from India Gate to Vijay Chowk and was led by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Minister Anupriya Patel also attended, according to the research documents.
Participants included women locomotive drivers, My Bharat volunteers, Bharat Taxi Saarthis, and police officers. The event featured cultural performances representing Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, and Rajasthan, according to the research documents. The official communication from the Ministry framed the event around the theme of women as “architects of Viksit Bharat 2047” and highlighted government schemes including Lakhpati Didi, Mission Shakti, and expanded maternity leave entitlements.
The BJP’s official communication characterised the event as part of a strategic shift from “women’s development” to “women-led development,” according to the BJP’s official website cited in the research documents. Political analysts cited in the research characterise the outreach as part of the party’s effort to consolidate a loyal female voter base ahead of the 2026 state assembly polls. The event’s policy impact and measurable electoral effect are not quantifiable at this stage.
