Ahmadabad: In celebration of Raksha Bandhan, women working in Anganwadis across Gujarat will be sending over 1 lakh rakhis to soldiers stationed on the border as part of the "Ek Rakhi Desh ke Jawana ke Naam" campaign, officials announced on Saturday.

The campaign was inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Women and Child Welfare Minister Bhanuben Babaria, who presented Raksha Kalash to Lt. Col. Rakesh Kumar and Sub-Major Santosh Kamte of the 16 Maratha Light Infantry. The Raksha Kalash will be used to deliver the rakhis to soldiers on the frontlines. The initiative, involving 53,000 Anganwadi centers across the state, aims to connect soldiers with their families back home and express gratitude for their service in challenging conditions. The campaign is intended to remind soldiers that their sisters and mothers from Gujarat are thinking of them, even while they remain away from their families.

Women and Child Development Secretary Rakesh Shankar, ICDS Commissioner Ranjitkumar Singh, Deputy Secretary Kumudben Yagnik, along with Anganwadi workers and supervisors, were also present at the event. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel remarked, "Our brave soldiers, who protect the country’s borders through extreme conditions, celebrate festivals away from their families. On Raksha Bandhan, Anganwadi sisters in Gujarat have initiated a heartfelt gesture by sending more than 1 lakh rakhis to these soldiers, symbolizing the love and appreciation of Gujarat's sisters. I commend the Anganwadi workers for this touching initiative."

Earlier, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor district, schoolgirls also celebrated Raksha Bandhan by tying rakhis to army personnel, applying tilak, and offering sweets. Raksha Bandhan, also known as Rahi, is celebrated on Monday, August 19 this year. The festival honors the bond between brothers and sisters, with sisters tying rakhis on their brothers' wrists and brothers giving gifts in return.

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