Mangaluru set to host mega convention of women’s self-help groups

Mangaluru: In what is being hailed as one of the largest gatherings of its kind, Mangaluru city will play host to a landmark convention of women’s self-help groups (SHGs) that promises to showcase the strength and scale of Karnataka’s coop-erative movement.

Over 1.5 lakh women, representing thousands of self-help groups from across seven districts of the state, are expected to converge in the coastal city for the convention. They will arrive in more than 3,000 buses, creating an extraordi-nary visual display of solidarity as they don coordinated blue sarees—the offi-cial uniform of the gathering.

The event is being organised under the banner of the Navodaya Self Help Group movement, which was founded 25 years ago by Dr. M.N. Rajendra Kumar. Speaking at a press conference in Mangaluru on Tuesday, Dr. Kumar said the convention would not only celebrate the achievements of the past two and a half decades but also draft major resolutions aimed at empowering women and enhancing self-sufficiency across communities. “We have over 9 lakh women working under various models of self-help groups, which is also a record in itself”.

“This movement began with a vision to strengthen women at the grassroots. Today, it has evolved into a powerful engine of social and economic transfor-mation,” Dr. Kumar said. He added that the convention will mark a crucial turning point, with strategic recommendations expected to be finalised and shared with policymakers.

The scale and success of the Navodaya model has drawn national attention. A high-level team led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is scheduled to attend the convention to study and understand the model’s framework and potential for replication.

The convention will witness participation from a host of dignitaries, including Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Members of Parliament, state cabinet minis-ters, MLAs, and leading cooperative movement figures from across India.

Dr. Kumar recalled that both D.K. Shivakumar and Rajya Sabha member Dr. Veerendra Heggade were instrumental in laying the foundation for the move-ment 25 years ago. “It is fitting that they are returning to stand with us at this milestone moment,” he said.

Beyond its celebratory tone, the convention is expected to focus on charting a roadmap for the next phase of growth. Themes such as financial literacy, rural entrepreneurship, marketing networks, and access to credit will be central to the discussions.The event is poised to reaffirm Mangaluru’s place as a hub of cooperative in-novation and grassroots empowerment, with the Navodaya SHG model offer-ing a potential blueprint for inclusive development in other parts of the coun-try.