I&B Minister Anurag Thakur launches Azadi Ki Amrit Kahaniyan; honours real-life heroes

As India celebrates its rich history of people, culture and achievements on the occasion of 75 years of independence, Netflix and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, have come together to honour unique real-life stories of extraordinary individuals through a series of inspiring short videos titled Azadi Ki Amrit Kahaniyan.

Women change makers Basanti Devi, Padma-award winning environmentalist from Pithoragarh known for her contribution towards revitalizing the Kosi river; Anshu Jamsenpa, a Padma Shri awardee for being the first woman in the world to summit Mount Everest twice in five days in 2017 and Harshini Kanhekar, the first female firefighter in India, were also present at the launch.

With a focus on highlighting and honouring the exemplary women, the three changemakers were felicitated by the I&B Minister, who lauded their efforts of empowering women across the country and leading by example.

This was launched on Tuesday by the I&B Minister Anurag Thakur. Also present at the occasion were Minister of State L Murugan; I&B Secretary Apurva Chandra, and Netflix’s Head of Global TV Bela Bajaria.

Thakur said that the I&B Ministry has been a vital part of Amrit Mahotsav celebrations with various initiatives. “The term Azadi or freedom holds a wider connotation for women who have to fight stereotypes and taboos in the society as well. He added that emancipation of women was the hallmark of emancipation index of a society,” said the minister.

Speaking on the collaboration Thakur said, "This initiative aims to bring out inspiring stories of Indians and these stories shall motivate and empower more people to achieve their goals."

He added that this was a long term partnership where different themes and diverse stories will be highlighted.

"Netflix will be producing 25 videos on themes including women empowerment, environment and sustainable development and other days of significance. Netflix will produce two-minute short films for the Ministry which will be shared on social media platforms and telecast on Doordarshan network," Thakur elaborated.

Thakur elaborated on the multiple dimensions of this partnership and said Netflix and Ministry will continue to organize training workshops and masterclasses to encourage filmmakers in India to create inspiring content on various topics under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

"Netflix and ministry will partner to develop a creative ecosystem by organizing training programs for post-production, VFX, animation, music production among others and will be organized on ground and virtually", he announced.

The Minister lauded the remarkable achievements of the three women on the dais and said their stories will inspire people across the country. He also expressed hope that after this collaboration filmmakers from across the world will come to India to make films and documentaries for not just the Indian audience but to showcase it to the entire world. The Minister stated that the partnership between the Ministry and Netflix was only a beginning and will not be limited to Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Earlier, I&B Secretary Chandra in his opening remarks highlighted the convergence between the I&B Ministry and Netflix and said that the two entities signed a collaboration agreement and these three videos released today are the first set produced under this partnership. He added that a deeper collaboration featuring a long-running series on our freedom struggle and the stories that need to be told to the world is in the pipeline.

Speaking on the occasion, Netflix’s Bajaria, said that India was one of the most vibrant entertainment industries in the world and India was remarkably well placed in times of internet entertainment. "Netflix is excited to be part of a time when stories from India are being exported to the world and the best Indian stories are being discovered and loved on a global stage", she said.

“Great stories can come from anywhere and are ever so inspiring when they are about people who rise against the odds. In partnership with The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Azadi Ki Amrit Kahaniyan focuses on celebrating remarkable individuals and their stories that can inspire people in India and around the world,” Bajaria added.

Narrated by acclaimed actress Neena Gupta, these short videos capture the remarkable journey of these individuals and how they broke the glass ceiling in their respective fields, ranging from science to sports. Here is what these achievers had to say about what Azadi (freedom) means to them personally.

“If something hasn’t been attempted, it doesn't mean you cannot do it. To me, Azadi means facing a raging fire.” — Harshini Kanheker, India’s first female firefighter.

“From water comes life, and water is life. I flow free like a river, and will continue to protect and serve water, that’s Azadi to me.” — Basanti Devi, Environmentalist and protector of the Kosi river ecosystem. 

“If women hold the power to create life, women also hold the power to save lives. If I have to put my life at stake to save other lives, I wouldn't think twice.”  — Poonam Nautiyal walked miles across the Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand to vaccinate thousands of people living in remote areas.

"Being a scientist, every moment is a learning curve. We need to face challenges, and we need to learn. I always say that science has no gender, and Azadi is when we take our nation to new horizons." — Tessy Thomas, the “Missile Woman of India”, is the first-ever woman scientist to head a missile project in India.

“I am a force of nature, I can scale great heights, and my journey has just begun. Azadi means to make your way up in the world.” — Anshu Jamsenpa, the first woman in the world to summit Mount Everest twice in 5 days.

“When you dream something out of the box, it’s very important to push the norms. Azadi is to be one with the wind.” — Aarohi Pandit, the world's youngest person and first woman pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean solo in a light-sport aircraft.

“You have the right to dream, and the right to achieve your dream. Just like the waves, be patient, be consistent, and never look back. To me, Azadi is to take a bit of the ocean wherever I go.”— Tanvi Jagadish, India's first competitive woman stand-up paddleboarder.

The videos are now available on the Ministry's social media platforms and Doordarshan.