Tirupati: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday underlined that empowerment of women is integral to India’s march towards becoming a developed country.

Inaugurating the First National Conference of Parliamentary and Legislative Committees on Empowerment of Women at Tirupati, Birla said, “When our daughters become educated, self-reliant and leadership-driven, India will become an inclusive and developed nation.”

Bringing in the constitutional context, the Speaker recalled that about 15 women members of the Constituent Assembly had significantly contributed to shaping the world’s longest written Constitution. As a result, the Indian Constitution guaranteed women equality, justice and universal suffrage right from its inception, unlike many countries where women had to struggle for decades to secure their basic rights. He cited the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which provides 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures, a landmark step to secure their rightful place in democracy.

Drawing attention to contemporary examples, Birla pointed out that Droupadi Murmu, a woman from a tribal background, is the President of India. “Today, women are excelling in politics, science, technology, and even the armed forces”, he observed.

The speaker reiterated that empowering daughters is the foundation of India’s bright future. He mentioned that several opportunities have been created to support women’s development. “Women are contributing immensely to the making of ‘Viksit Bharat’ with their vision and leadership playing a crucial role in shaping the nation’s progress,” he said.

Birla wanted parliamentary and legislative committees to always function above party lines, working to identify and remove challenges in the path of women’s empowerment.

Those present at the conference included Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women chairperson D. Purandeswari, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly speaker C. Ayyannapatrudu, deputy speaker Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, ministers Payyavula Keshav, Vangalapudi Anitha, S. Savitha and Gummidi Sandhya Rani, State Women’s Welfare Committee chairperson Gauru Charitha Reddy, AP state legislature secretary-general Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, and district collector Dr. S. Venkateswar.

Earlier in the day, Om Birla offered prayers at the Tirumala Temple before proceeding to the conference—Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman B.R. Naidu, additional executive officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary and other officials received the Lok Sabha Speaker at the temple’s entrance and guided him through the various rituals.