January 24, 2026.Smart Halchal On the calendar, it is merely a date. But for us, it is a mirror reflecting a ‘New India.’ We are marching toward a nation where a daughter is no longer viewed through the hazy, antiquated lens of ‘Paraya Dhan’ (a burden meant for another’s home). Contrary to that faded narrative, the daughters of this land are fulfilling their solemn vows, emerging not just as participants, but as the nation’s most potent superpower. Today, they are finally being recognized for who they truly are.
The afternoon of May 2025 still flashes through my memory like lightning. The eyes of the entire world were fixed on New Delhi, witnessing the valor of the Indian Army as ‘Operation Sindoor’ pulverized the strongholds of terror. The globe stood witness to an epoch-making moment when, clad in olive green and sky blue, two of India’s bravest daughters—Colonel Sophia Qureshi and Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—addressed the nation.
They stood not just with authority, but with a dignity that silenced centuries of doubt. In that solitary moment, an ancient script was rewritten. Sindoor (vermilion), once solely seen as a domestic symbol of marriage, was transformed into a mark of indomitable courage and unyielding power. The message of Operation Sindoor was crystal clear: India’s daughters are no longer silent spectators of history; they are the new authors of this nation’s glorious saga of valor.
Today, on National Girl Child Day 2026, as I sit thousands of miles away as a student in the United States, penning these words, my heart remains tethered to the narrow lanes of my hometown, Kota. I realize now that this shift in society’s consciousness didn’t happen overnight. It is not the result of a single campaign. It is the fruit of the quiet courage of countless parents who turned a deaf ear to social taunts. It is the victory of those who chose to place books, not brooms, in their daughters’ hands. It is the triumph of millions of girls who refused to shrink into the boxes society built for them.
My own state, Rajasthan, once eclipsed by the dark shadows of female foeticide and child marriage, is today aglow with the light of change. Daughters are no longer just “present”; they are leading. Government statistics confirm this rising tide: enrollments are surging, the sex ratio is healing, and the silence of the past is being shattered by the soaring, ambitious voices of young girls.
This silent revolution is not confined to a single path; it is a symphony resonating across every sphere.
We see their unprecedented achievements in the skies and in space, where the legacy of the late Kalpana Chawla reminds us that even gravity cannot hold an Indian daughter down. Walking in her footsteps, scientists like Ritu Karidhal and the ‘Missile Woman’ Tessy Thomas have redefined our prowess at ISRO and DRDO, proving that the hands that rock the cradle can also launch rockets to the moon.
In the hallowed corridors of education, the torch of knowledge lit centuries ago by Savitribai Phule burns brighter than ever. Today, as Vice-Chancellors and educators, women are sculpting the intellect of the next generation, proving that knowledge is the sharpest weapon against oppression.
Their touch is profound in medicine, where the spirit of Dr. Anandibai Joshi lives on in every female surgeon, researcher, and ASHA worker. From developing indigenous vaccines to performing complex surgeries, our daughters are the nation’s true healers.
Their melody resonates in the world of art, where the divine voices of legends like Lata Mangeshkar and M.S. Subbulakshmi have immortalized our culture. Today, from classical maestros to modern virtuosos, daughters are the guardians of India’s soul, weaving our heritage into tunes that mesmerize the world.
The lioness’s roar is heard in the sporting arenas, where the sweat and grit of P.V. Sindhu, Mary Kom, and Mirabai Chanu have transmuted silver and bronze into national pride. They have taught us that an Indian daughter does not bow her head; she fights until the final whistle.
The power of their pen is evident in literature, where the written word has proven mightier than the sword. From the poignant verses of Mahadevi Verma to the global voice of Arundhati Roy and the wisdom of Sudha Murty, women are holding a mirror to society, challenging us to be better. We see their leadership in boardrooms, where entrepreneurs like Falguni Nayar and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw have built empires, shattering the ‘glass ceiling’ and proving that economic power, too, rests firmly in female hands.
Yet, as we celebrate, we must have the courage to be honest. The summit is still ahead. Even in 2026, the digital divide, unequal healthcare, and the stubborn roots of patriarchy threaten to clip our wings. A 70% literacy rate is progress, but it is not victory. Malnutrition still steals the potential of millions of adolescents. If, in the India of 2026, even a single daughter has to compromise her dreams due to a lack of food or mental support, it is a failure of our collective consciousness.
The solution lies not in a single policy, but in a unified spirit. We must weave education with skill, technology with values, and law with empathy. Digital literacy must bridge the chasm between skyscrapers and village huts. We must ensure that a girl in rural India speaks the language of computers, coding, AI, and innovation just as fluently as her urban sister. True safety will not come from laws alone, but from a change of heart. We must teach our sons that respect and equality are the true measures of strength.
National Girl Child Day is a reminder that empowering a daughter is not an act of charity. It is her fundamental right. It is a duty that rests not just on the government, but on every family and every citizen. Real change will arrive when a father swells with pride not at his daughter’s wedding, but at her graduation; when a brother becomes the charioteer of his sister’s ambition; and when society celebrates her success instead of fearing it.
Today’s sunrise is dedicated to every daughter who is writing her own destiny with the ink of hard work. To the daughters researching in labs, singing the ragas of freedom, saving lives in hospitals, and striking gold on the field—you are the architects of the New India.
I am neither weak,
nor destitute in form,
I am the roar of Mother India,
the coming storm.
Though the sky is vast, infinite and blue,
Today it seems small to my rising view,
For I am the galaxy where dreams rely,
The guiding light in the open sky.
I am that spark, fierce and bright,
That no storm can extinguish,
no dark can fight.
I am India’s daughter,
hear my song,
I am the speed of a nation rising strong.
Courage, Power, and Fire… yes, that is me.
Ishita Pandey, Kota
Author: A Window to the World of Wonder, Dream Big, Fly High, Start Early, Think Big
Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism,
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, U.S.A.
Email: ishiptapandeyusc@gmail.com
