“FlySakhi – Drone Queens of Bharat”

Hyderabad, October 2026: Twenty-five rural women today completed the first cohort of FlySakhi – Drone Queens of Bharat and received their certificates at a Valedictory Session at TiHAN, IIT Hyderabad. Themed “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs through Agricultural Drone Technology”, the programme trains rural women not merely as drone operators but as owners of rural drone-service enterprises.

FlySakhi is led by WCOOPEF and CNRI, with TiHAN–IIT Hyderabad as technology partner and Syngenta India Pvt. Ltd. as CSR partner. It brings together the cooperative movement, civil society, academia, industry, research institutions and development finance behind a single goal: placing women at the controls of India’s agricultural transformation. The Inaugural Address was delivered by Shri Dileep Shanghani, Chairman, World Cooperation Economic Forum. Dr. (Ms.) C. Tara Satyavathi, Director General, ICAR–NIPHM (National Institute of Plant Health Management) and Director, ICAR–Indian Institute of Millets Research, was the Chief Guest. Ms. Meenal Maheshwari, CFO, Syngenta India, delivered the Presidential Address.

Sangeeta Dawar, Head of Business Sustainability & Corporate Affairs at Syngenta India, said, “At Syngenta, our vision is to contribute to a more sustainable and resilient agricultural ecosystem by empowering farming communities, strengthening rural livelihoods and promoting responsible agricultural practices. We believe that the future of agriculture depends not only on scientific innovation and access to modern solutions, but also on building knowledge, skills and awareness among the people who are at the heart of this sector. Our sustainability initiatives, including I RISE (Inculcating Rural India Skill Enhancement), I CLEAN (Inculcating Cleanliness, Learning, Education, Awareness and New Habits) and WeCare, reflect this commitment by addressing different aspects of rural development and community well-being.

Together, these initiatives represent our belief that sustainable agriculture must go hand in hand with social progress and inclusive development. By working in partnership with communities and other stakeholders, we aim to create lasting impact on the ground, strengthen the capabilities of rural India and contribute to a future where agricultural progress translates into better opportunities and improved livelihoods.” Women carry a large and growing share of India’s farm work, yet they rarely own the land, machinery or data that drive farm incomes. FlySakhi is designed to change that equation. It places a high-value, high-skill technology directly in the hands of rural women and builds the enterprise around them.