Archive · 30 Aug 2026
PM Modi Highlights Nagaland Flower Grower, Odisha Forest Women
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about women in Nagaland and Odisha who found new opportunities through their interests and work.
Vesalu Puro from Nagaland loved flowers because she grew up in a farming family.
In 2021, she started growing flowers on a small piece of land.
She received scientific farming training and grew more than 5,000 gladiolus flowers.
Her flowers are now sent to larger cities.
In Odisha, Maithili Bhue once collected forest products for her family and others.
Through Debrigarh Eco-Tourism, she began helping protect the forest as a livelihood.
Her example encouraged more than 60 women to work in conservation and eco-tourism.
Their stories show that caring for nature and earning a living can happen together.
In the 137th episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi highlighted women creating livelihoods through flowers and forest conservation.
Vesalu Puro of Phek district, Nagaland, began cultivating flowers in 2021 after developing a passion for them.
After training from a local Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Puro planted thousands of gladiolus bulbs on a quarter-acre and grew more than 5,000 flowers.
Her flowers, once sold locally, are now being sent from Nagaland to cities including Delhi and Mumbai.
In Odisha’s Debrigarh region, more than 60 women are involved in forest conservation, wildlife protection, grassland development and eco-tourism.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flower cultivator Vesalu Puro, and women involved in forest conservation in Odisha.
- What
- Modi highlighted Puro’s flower-growing enterprise and the conservation work of women in Odisha’s Debrigarh region.
- When
- Sunday, during the 137th episode of Mann Ki Baat; Puro began flower cultivation in 2021.
- Where
- Phek district in Nagaland and the Debrigarh region of Odisha.
- Why
- To showcase how passion, training, hard work and conservation can create livelihood opportunities.
- Programme
- 137th episode of Mann Ki Baat
- Flower cultivator
- Vesalu Puro of Phek district, Nagaland
- Flower cultivation start
- 2021
- Cultivation area
- A quarter-acre of land
- First harvest
- More than 5,000 gladiolus flowers
- Odisha conservation participation
- More than 60 women
- Conservation activities
- Wildlife protection, grassland development and eco-tourism