Women have proved that whenever they get equal opportunities, they perform as well as or even better than men, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday (December 27, 2025).
After inaugurating the Shrimad Rajchandra Sarvamangal Centre of Excellence for Women at Dharampur in Gujarat’s Valsad district, Mr. Singh said the legacy left behind by Jain spiritual leader Shrimad Rajchandraji in his short life will continue to guide people for centuries.
In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually laid the foundation stone for the Centre, which is spread over 11 acres and assists women in skill development and improving livelihood.
Shrimad Rajchandra was a Jain saint, poet, mystic, philosopher, and a major reformer of the late 19th century. His devotee Gurudev Shri Rakeshji founded Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur, a spiritual organisation.
“I believe that the women who will work here will not only be empowered but also become self-reliant and get the opportunity and time to engage in spiritual contemplation in their own way,” Mr. Singh said.
“Women have proved that whenever they have been given equal opportunities, they have performed as well as or even better than men,” Mr. SIngh said, citing the examples of Ela Bhatt of SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association) and Shri Mahila Griha Udyog’s founder Jaswantiben Popat.
Mr. Singh said that the centre of excellence, which will be completely managed by rural women, will further strengthen women's entrepreneurship and will set an excellent example of women's empowerment and women-led development.
“This campus is promoting both the economic and social aspects of women’s empowerment. Once products from this place reach the global market, it will encourage the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Mr. Singh said the path to “liberation”, shown again by Shrimad Rajchandraji about 150 years ago, centuries after it was first shown by Lord Mahavir nearly 2,500 years ago, has laid the foundation of spirituality for a new era.
“The legacy left behind by Shrimad Rajchandraji in his short life will continue to guide us for centuries. Time has not diminished his relevance; rather, I would say that his relevance is continuously increasing," he said.
Mr. Singh called it a happy coincidence that this year marked the completion of 125 years of the arrival of the Jain spiritual leader in Dharampur. This year, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) also completes 100 years of its establishment, he said.
“Both traditions embody the eternal culture of India. Both traditions promote values like spirituality, discipline, and philanthropy. And this coincidence reminds us that true nation-building is possible only through the confluence of cultural awakening, service, and character development,” he said.
The Union Minister said that under the leadership of PM Modi, the Indian government has strived to preserve the Jain tradition and heritage.
“In the past few years, more than 20 revered Tirthankara idols that had been stolen have been brought back to India from abroad. Last year, we granted the ‘Prakrit’ language the status of a classical language,” he said.
He said that the philosophy of ‘Anekantavada’ (non-absolutism) of Jainism is the path to mutual coexistence and harmony.
“Regardless of our country, caste, religion, or ideology, peace, like food and water, is a fundamental necessity for us. Do not be restless. For inner peace, it is essential that the ego does not enter our hearts, and that we remain grounded,” he said.
Talking about the spiritual leader, Mr. Singh said that the bigger a person’s heart becomes, the greater the spiritual height they will attain.
“The size of the heart is directly proportional to the magnitude of happiness. We should strive and practise so that our hearts continue to grow. Greed, envy, and other negative emotions will naturally arise in the mind. Controlling them is the essence of spiritual practice. One day, ultimate bliss will be attained,” he added.