Kishan Hails Bathukamma, Women’s Spirit

HYDERABAD: Union minister G. Kishan Reddy extended greetings to women participating in Bathukamma celebrations and highlighted the festival’s cultural and social importance, describing it as a unique celebration of womanhood in Telangana. Speaking at the celebrations held at Khairatabad’s Banjara Hills, Kishan Reddy said Bathukamma has gained recognition across the world for its vibrancy and inclusivity. “Bathukamma stands out as a distinct Telangana festival. Nowhere else in India do such festivities take place,” he said, adding that it attracts participants and visitors from other states and abroad.

Kishan Reddy praised Telangana women for celebrating Bathukamma with devotion and grandeur throughout the nine days of Navaratri, culminating in Saddula Bathukamma. He also lauded the Modi government’s women-focused policies, including GST reductions on 365 essential goods and welfare schemes such as the construction of toilets, free LPG connections, Ayushman Bharat health cover and free rice distribution. He said the Centre prioritised relief for middle-class families and women despite global inflation and had strengthened women’s savings groups through financial assistance and loans.