True empowerment shaped by recognition of people's rights: President Murmu

New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said true empowerment is shaped by the recognition of the rights of the people and asked members of tribal communities to take active responsibility for their development journey.

The President was addressing a group of eminent tribal people from diverse backgrounds, representing various states, who had called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Murmu said that we all together, with the active participation of our tribal brothers and sisters, should work to build a society and country where there is an environment of equality, justice and respect, where the culture and traditions of the tribal society are preserved, and the rights of our tribal brothers and sisters are protected.

She highlighted the need for using technology for connecting tribal people to the mainstream while preserving their distinct identity and rich culture.

The Forest Rights Act became an important means of social justice, equality, and environmental protection, the President said.

She stated that, however, real empowerment does not come from schemes alone.

"True empowerment is shaped by the recognition of the rights of the people. It is strengthened by respect for those rights and sustained by the representation of tribal communities. She urged members of tribal communities to take active responsibility for their development journey," Murmu said.

She advised them to express their views on various platforms and make the systems accountable, according to a statement issued by her office.

The group was at Rashtrapati Bhavan under the ‘Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan’ of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Addressing the gathering, the President said that the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan is a remarkable effort for dialogue and cooperation towards shaping the future of the tribal society and the country.

"This initiative reflects our collective resolve to build an inclusive and equitable India," Murmu said.

She said that our effort should be to ensure that tribal communities are not only the beneficiaries of development, but also co-creators of the nation's future.

The President noted that one lakh Adi Seva Kendras have been identified as single window service and grievance redressal hubs.

"Dharti Aba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan is providing essential infrastructure and services to over 63,000 tribal-dominated villages," Murmu said.

The President said that the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan is a transformational initiative to empower the tribal communities through responsible governance.

She said that since the launch of this campaign in July this year, in one lakh villages, 20 lakh Adi-Karmayogis, including officials, volunteers, women from self-help groups and tribal youth, are being mobilized.

Referring to the recent launch of Adi Vaani, an AI-based translation tool for tribal languages, Murmu said it as an important step towards language and education transformation in tribal areas.

The beta version of Adi Vaani, launched in September 2025, is the world’s first AI-powered indigenous language bridge tool that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for cultural preservation and social inclusion of tribal groups in India.

"This is the true example of using AI for the welfare of some of its most vulnerable social groups," Murmu said.

During the meeting, a film on Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan was screened before the audience.

Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram and Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Durgadas Uikey, were also present during the meeting.

A series of such meetings of Tribal leaders have been organised at Rashtrapati Bhavan under this initiative. This was the last meeting of this series for this phase. PTI AKV AKV NB NB