KENDRAPARA: Kamala Moharana who had earned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise in his Mann Ki Baat programme and during a poll meeting, has been invited to attend the Republic Day function in New Delhi.
PM Modi had lauded the 66 year-old Moharana’s efforts to transform waste into artistic creations in the 98th episode of Mann Ki Baat on February 26 last year. During a poll meeting in Kendrapara on May 29, 2024, he touched her feet in admiration of her work.
The Central government has arranged flight tickets for Kamala and her son, Mahendra, to attend the event in the capital.
Kamala leads a self-help group (SHG) that she established in 2016. Starting with a small group of women, she has empowered 50 women who earn livelihoods by converting waste materials into useful products. “Without my idea to turn waste into best, I might have ended up like many rural women struggling to make ends meet. Now, I am helping others build a better life,” she said.
Over the past eight years, Kamala has been crafting items such as baskets, pen stands, flower pots and wall hangings from plastic, polythene and other waste materials. “My life changed dramatically after the Prime Minister praised my work. I am now eagerly awaiting the Republic Day parade and the opportunity to meet him. Villagers initially mocked me as a kabadiwalla but their perceptions changed after the PM mentioned my work,” she added.
Prof Nanda Kishor Parida, former principal of Kendrapara autonomous college, hailed Kamala’s leadership, saying, “Her efforts have raised environmental awareness and recycled crafts have become marketable products. Her initiative has turned waste into wonder and is helping women earn money while cleaning the environment.”