Prime Highlights-
- National SARAS Mela 2026 brings over 1,500 women entrepreneurs from 30-plus states and UTs to Vijayawada for the first time.
- President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates the Mela on October 15, giving rural women a platform to showcase products and meet buyers.
Key Facts-
- The Mela runs from October 13 to 31 at Punnami Ghat and features a 50-stall food court.
- The eSARAS platform and SARAS Aajeevika Gallery help women entrepreneurs reach wider markets beyond the event.
Background-
VIJAYAWADA, The National SARAS Mela 2026 will bring more than 1,500 women entrepreneurs from Self-Help Groups across over 30 states and Union Territories to Vijayawada, its first edition outside Delhi-NCR.
President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the Mela at Punnami Ghat on October 15 at 11:30 AM. Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will attend. The event runs from October 13 to 31.
The Ministry of Rural Development and the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, Andhra Pradesh, are organizing the Mela. It gives rural women a platform to showcase products, meet buyers and grow their businesses. The event supports the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission and the Prime Minister’s vision of creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029.
Visitors can browse Phulkari from Punjab, Pashmina from Jammu and Kashmir, Ikat and Telia textiles from Telangana, and Paunchei from Mizoram. Handicrafts and a 50-stall food court will add to the display.
Three pavilions will support the entrepreneurs. The Lakhpati Didi Pavilion will share success stories, the Knowledge Pavilion will link women with experts on branding and packaging, and the Convergence Pavilion will connect them with government departments.
A 16-foot installation titled “SHAKTI” will anchor the venue, alongside live craft demonstrations and cultural programs. The SARAS Aajeevika Gallery and eSARAS platform will help women reach wider markets, with support from NABARD and NIRDPR.
The Mela aims to strengthen rural livelihoods by connecting women-led enterprises with consumers and institutions.
