Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi waxed eloquent today on the great strides taken by India’s women and their importance to the economic and social development of the nation. Pointing out that in Indian Mythology, women are an incarnation of Shakthi, the Goddess of Power, Modi declared that India’s history has been replete with women of enormous talent.

“Women have done India proud,” said Modi, speaking at the plenary session of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2017 in Hyderabad. The inaugural event is being attended by a star cast of global business and political leaders including US Adviser to the President Ivanka Trump, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushil Swaraj, Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Telangana State Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

This year’s edition of the Summit is themed “Women First, Prosperity to all”.

Sticking to the theme, Modi stressed the importance of women in history, and the need for women empowerment in his keynote speech. “Our history has references to women of enormous talent… warrior queens like Rani Ahilyabai Holkar and Rani Lakshmibai fought bravely to defend the kingdoms. Our freedom struggle is too replete with such instances,” Modi pointed out, adding more recent references to women achievers — like the women scientists involved in the Mars Orbiter Mission, Indian origin astronauts Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams, sportswomen like Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and Sania Mirza. He also pointed out that three out of oldest high courts in India are now helmed by Indian women judges.

Highlighting the need to promote women entrepreneurship, Modi pointed out that over 50 per cent of delegates to this year’s were women. “Over the next two days, you will meet more women who have walked alone on their paths and have inspired a new generation of women entrepreneurs. I hope the summit will focus on how to support women entrepreneurship,” he said.