President Murmu expresses desire to visit Patharughat after meeting Assam woman farmer

Mangaldai, Aug 20: President of India Droupadi Murmu has expressed her eagerness to visit the historic Patharughat in Darrang district, known for the peasants’ uprising where several farmers laid down their lives. The President conveyed this sentiment while interacting with Dipti Saharia, an enterprising woman farmer from Assam, during the Independence Day reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Saharia, a resident of Jaljali Gariapara in Darrang, was the only farmer from Assam invited by the President to the reception. She shared that Murmu warmly welcomed all the guests and, upon learning that she was a farmer, immediately recalled the supreme sacrifices made at Patharughat. The President then expressed her willingness to visit the village in the future.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also interacted with Saharia during the event, enquired about her farmer producer company ‘Chira Seuji’ and the number of women farmers associated with it.

The reception featured a vegetarian menu with traditional delicacies from across the country, including Assam’s pithas served on banana leaves. The following day, Saharia and five other farmers from across India toured the Rashtrapati Bhavan, exploring its museum, artifacts, and picturesque surroundings.

Saharia, daughter of the late farmer Jogen Saharia, is the managing director of ‘Chira Seuji’, a women’s farmer producer company. Through this initiative, she has empowered nearly 500 women over the past three years by connecting them to agricultural schemes and strengthening mustard cultivation and other farming activities in the district.