‘Like Lord Krishna was for Arjuna, there’s no better saarthi for women than AI’: Smriti Irani at the Tata AI Sakhi event

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, former Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani drew a powerful parallel between Lord Krishna and artificial intelligence, emphasizing AI's role in empowering women. Speaking at the Tata AI Sakhi Immersion Program, Irani urged women to embrace AI as a vital tool for empowerment and entrepreneurship. Irani highlighted the remarkable achievements of ordinary Indian women, noting that over 10 crore women from self-help groups have successfully managed credit worth Rs 12 lakh crore, with a repayment rate of 96% over the past decade. She pointed out that more than 30 lakh women are involved in the export of handicraft and handloom goods, generating close to Rs 33,000 crore. In the domestic sphere, these women contribute approximately Rs 38,000 crore annually to the economy. The minister also discussed the DISHA (Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice) scheme, which has connected 4.90 crore women, with 2.72 crore having achieved digital literacy certificates. Addressing the challenges of teaching AI to women in rural areas, Irani encouraged attendees to educate both mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law to foster progress, stating, "The mother-in-law was once a daughter-in-law too." As she addressed around 1,600 participants, Irani urged them not to view themselves merely as passengers in the development journey but to take the reins of progress. She reminded them to approach AI with caution, advising against sharing personal information such as Aadhaar and bank details. Irani concluded her address with a hopeful vision for women to contribute to the nation’s economic, social, and educational advancements.