On the occasion of International Women's Day celebrated on March 8, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude towards the women who have inspired him. He took to Twitter and posted a series of tweets with the hashtag "Sheinspiresme." Modi spoke about his inspiration -- a 106-year-old woman who sold her goats and built the first toilet in her village.
Modi expressed his gratefulness and sought blessings from Kunwar Bai, a resident of a small village in Chhattisgarh, who inspired the Indian prime minister with her life story, the Times of India reported.
Bai took matters into her own hands and built the first toilet in her village at the age of 106 as she did her bit towards Modi's pet project, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan. She sold her goats, her only source of livelihood, for a toilet that set her back by about Rs 22,000 and took more than a fortnight to build.
#SheInspiresMe- Kunwar Bai, who died earlier this year at the age of 106. Hailing from Chhattisgarh, she sold her goats in order to build toilets. Her contribution towards a Swachh Bharat can never be forgotten. I am deeply inspired by her noble gesture. pic.twitter.com/eANQz01ZYE
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2018
"Her contribution towards a Swachh Bharat can never be forgotten. I am deeply inspired by her noble gesture. I will always cherish the time when I had the opportunity to seek Kunwar Bai's blessings during one of my visits to Chhattisgarh," PM Modi said.
Bai passed away last year leaving her mark with a gesture that not only inspired a small town in Chhattisgarh but a nation with over 1.2 billion population.
"Through their exemplary deeds, several women have left an indelible mark in the history of humankind. They continue to inspire generations. I urge you to write about some women who inspire you. #SheInspiresMe". Modi tweeted on the occasion of International Women's Day to celebrate womanhood.
I will always cherish the time when I had the opportunity to seek Kunwar Bai’s blessings during one of my visits to Chhattisgarh. Kunwar Bai lives on in the hearts and minds of all those who are passionate towards fulfilling Bapu’s dream of a clean India. #SheInspiresMe pic.twitter.com/Gdt5STszgr
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 8, 2018
Modi further added that Bai "lives on in the hearts and minds of all those who are passionate towards fulfilling Bapu's dream of a clean India."
At a time when the horrors of the #MeToo anecdotes are rampant and gender inequality remains ubiquitous, it is the need of the hour to address the safety of women and give them the respect they deserve, not just on International Women's Day but on every single day.
