New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday inaugurated a National Conference on 'Nari Shakti Se Viksit Bharat', organized by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development to mark International Women's Day.

Addressing the gathering, Murmu extended greetings and emphasized the significance of the day in recognizing women's achievements and advocating gender equality. She noted that the world is celebrating 50 years of International Women's Day, highlighting the remarkable progress of women in various spheres. Sharing her own journey from a modest background in Odisha to Rashtrapati Bhavan, she underscored the importance of equal opportunities and social justice for women.

Murmu stressed the need for a secure and supportive environment for girls to make independent choices, asserting that respect for women is key to a fear-free society. She lauded the contributions of women leaders like Sarojini Naidu and Sucheta Kriplani and called for greater female workforce participation as India advances towards becoming the world's third-largest economy.

"A self-reliant and empowered India depends on strong, independent women," she said, urging collective efforts to ensure gender parity and inclusive development.