July 9, 2026

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with his Australian counterpart, on Thursday addressed the Indian diaspora during his three-day visit to Australia.Around 30,000 people gathered to hear PM Modi speak in Melbourne, making it the largest gathering addressed by any leader in Australia.Here are the top quotes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speechI would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to their elders, past, present, and emerging.When I came to Australia in 2014, it was after 28 years that an Indian Prime Minister had visited the country. You may remember that I had then said you would not have to wait another 28 years.In the last 12 years, I have come here for the third time. This time, a hat-trick has been scored! This reflects the heights that India-Australia relations have reached.Ahmedabad, where the world’s largest cricket ground is, and Melbourne, where the iconic stadium is, we have been together at both places. We all have seen, Prime Minister Albanese ji, when he speaks, he captivates the hearts and minds of Indians. You created a sensation in Sydney too, and here you have captivated everyone as well.Melbourne has truly won the day. I am also deeply grateful to my friend—and a friend of India—Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. You were with us in Sydney, and today you have joined the Indian community here in Melbourne as well; in a way, things have come full circle.There are many people here who live in at least two time zones. When children return home from school according to Australian time, people back in India are already waiting for them to come on a video call. The distance may be thousands of kilometres, but their daily routine is still connected with India.This city of Melbourne offers a glimpse of all four seasons in a single day, but the Indian community has made it even more vibrant with the colors of their culture. There are plenty of places here in Melbourne and around, markets that are filled with the hues of Indianness. Some call it Little India, some call it Mini India… whatever the name, the colors are steeped in Indianness.We Indians love to spread love. Your homes may have Australian milk, but the tea made from it is Indian. You must have heard about the Bhajan Clubbing trend driven by the Gen Z of India. And your weekends in Australia are also filled with spiritual activities.The India of the 21st century is working towards becoming a developed nation. When we realise one dream, new dreams take its place. We are a country filled with the aspirations of 140 crore people.We are the fastest-growing economy, and we want to become the world’s third-largest economy as soon as possible, Because our inspiration is: Grow more. Achieve more.You are contributing to Australia’s growth through your hard work, but I know that one eye always remains on India. You closely follow what India is doing, its progress, and the pace at which it is moving forward. The India of the 21st century is working towards the goal of becoming a developed nation. When one dream is fulfilled, it gives birth to another. Earlier, people used to say, ‘One lamp lights another, until thousands are illuminated.’ Today, I say, ‘One dream gives birth to another, and soon there are thousands of dreams.’Today, India has become the world’s second-largest 5G market. India is rapidly working on ‘Made in India’ 6G technology. Over the past 12 years, the metro network has expanded to more than two dozen cities across India. Today, over 12.5 million people travel by metro in India daily. India possesses the third-largest metro network in the world. We are rapidly expanding semi-high-speed networks in India, such as the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and Vande Bharat.”We aspire to become one of the world’s top three economies as soon as possible, driven by the motto: ‘Grow more, achieve more.India is now preparing to launch its ‘Gaganyaan’ mission into space and is working towards the goal of establishing its own space station.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Only Original Rail One App Ticket Will Be AcceptedIndia and Australia Finalise Uranium Export Arrangement Under Civil Nuclear AgreementUGC-NET Under Scanner After Alleged Paper Leak; Education Ministry Seeks NTA InvestigationDRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket; Hits Target With Pinpoint AccuracyBuilding Collapses In Delhi’s Rohini; 1 Dead, Several Trapped; Rescue Ops UnderwayPune Building Buried Under Collapsing Garbage Mound, 16 Feared Trapped Amid Heavy Rain FuryShiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Arrested In KDMC Doctors’ Assault Case: PoliceEggs Thrown, ‘Chor-Chor’ Slogans At Mamata Banerjee’s Rally In West BengalRetired Transport Officer’s House Raided: UP Vigilance Recovers ₹1.62 Cr Cash, Gold Worth ₹20 CrOperation Hard Ball: Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar Among 37 Charged In Largest-Ever Int’l Crime Sweep123PhotostoriesWant to leave a lasting impression? Start with these everyday habits attractive women swear by”Eat this before your meal”: Sadhguru recommends eating a simple food combination before every meal; recipe and benefits insideJanhvi Kapoor trades her ethereal Apsara saree for a regal midnight blue Mayyur Girotra kalidar at Anshula Kapoor’s wedding reception5 natural sources of retinol that can help reduce signs of ageing’Alliance’ row: Kamya Punjabi stands by Kushal Tandon as Zareen Khan and Uorfi Javed call out his behaviour – all you need to knowPsychology says people who always save the best bite for last often share these personality traitsBryan Johnson’s low iron diagnosis puts spotlight on a hidden health warning doctors say adult men should never ignoreShilpa Shinde’s headline-making journey: False harassment case confession, politics and ‘Bigg Boss’ winRainy season shoe hacks: 7 simple ways to dry wet shoes faster during the monsoon7 stunning pictures from Guwahati Airport’s new terminal that are making travellers stop in their tracks123Hot PicksIndia-AustraliaTiesOmar AbdullahNew EPFO portalMahadev AppNET paper leakMonsoon trackerStock market todayStrait of HormuzAP DEECET rank cardTop TrendingCrude oilRamesh MhatreUS Section 301FIFA World Cup 2026India u19 vs Sri Lanka U19Andhra Hospital MurderWeather todayDelhi NCR rainBihar BDO Wife MurderIran war

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with his Australian counterpart, on Thursday addressed the Indian diaspora during his three-day visit to Australia.Around 30,000 people gathered to hear PM Modi speak in Melbourne, making it the largest gathering addressed by any leader in Australia.Here are the top quotes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speechI would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to their elders, past, present, and emerging.When I came to Australia in 2014, it was after 28 years that an Indian Prime Minister had visited the country. You may remember that I had then said you would not have to wait another 28 years.In the last 12 years, I have come here for the third time. This time, a hat-trick has been scored! This reflects the heights that India-Australia relations have reached.Ahmedabad, where the world’s largest cricket ground is, and Melbourne, where the iconic stadium is, we have been together at both places. We all have seen, Prime Minister Albanese ji, when he speaks, he captivates the hearts and minds of Indians. You created a sensation in Sydney too, and here you have captivated everyone as well.Melbourne has truly won the day. I am also deeply grateful to my friend—and a friend of India—Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. You were with us in Sydney, and today you have joined the Indian community here in Melbourne as well; in a way, things have come full circle.There are many people here who live in at least two time zones. When children return home from school according to Australian time, people back in India are already waiting for them to come on a video call. The distance may be thousands of kilometres, but their daily routine is still connected with India.This city of Melbourne offers a glimpse of all four seasons in a single day, but the Indian community has made it even more vibrant with the colors of their culture. There are plenty of places here in Melbourne and around, markets that are filled with the hues of Indianness. Some call it Little India, some call it Mini India… whatever the name, the colors are steeped in Indianness.We Indians love to spread love. Your homes may have Australian milk, but the tea made from it is Indian. You must have heard about the Bhajan Clubbing trend driven by the Gen Z of India. And your weekends in Australia are also filled with spiritual activities.The India of the 21st century is working towards becoming a developed nation. When we realise one dream, new dreams take its place. We are a country filled with the aspirations of 140 crore people.We are the fastest-growing economy, and we want to become the world’s third-largest economy as soon as possible, Because our inspiration is: Grow more. Achieve more.You are contributing to Australia’s growth through your hard work, but I know that one eye always remains on India. You closely follow what India is doing, its progress, and the pace at which it is moving forward. The India of the 21st century is working towards the goal of becoming a developed nation. When one dream is fulfilled, it gives birth to another. Earlier, people used to say, ‘One lamp lights another, until thousands are illuminated.’ Today, I say, ‘One dream gives birth to another, and soon there are thousands of dreams.’Today, India has become the world’s second-largest 5G market. India is rapidly working on ‘Made in India’ 6G technology. Over the past 12 years, the metro network has expanded to more than two dozen cities across India. Today, over 12.5 million people travel by metro in India daily. India possesses the third-largest metro network in the world. We are rapidly expanding semi-high-speed networks in India, such as the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and Vande Bharat.”We aspire to become one of the world’s top three economies as soon as possible, driven by the motto: ‘Grow more, achieve more.India is now preparing to launch its ‘Gaganyaan’ mission into space and is working towards the goal of establishing its own space station.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Only Original Rail One App Ticket Will Be AcceptedIndia and Australia Finalise Uranium Export Arrangement Under Civil Nuclear AgreementUGC-NET Under Scanner After Alleged Paper Leak; Education Ministry Seeks NTA InvestigationDRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket; Hits Target With Pinpoint AccuracyBuilding Collapses In Delhi’s Rohini; 1 Dead, Several Trapped; Rescue Ops UnderwayPune Building Buried Under Collapsing Garbage Mound, 16 Feared Trapped Amid Heavy Rain FuryShiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Arrested In KDMC Doctors’ Assault Case: PoliceEggs Thrown, ‘Chor-Chor’ Slogans At Mamata Banerjee’s Rally In West BengalRetired Transport Officer’s House Raided: UP Vigilance Recovers ₹1.62 Cr Cash, Gold Worth ₹20 CrOperation Hard Ball: Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar Among 37 Charged In Largest-Ever Int’l Crime Sweep123PhotostoriesWant to leave a lasting impression? Start with these everyday habits attractive women swear by”Eat this before your meal”: Sadhguru recommends eating a simple food combination before every meal; recipe and benefits insideJanhvi Kapoor trades her ethereal Apsara saree for a regal midnight blue Mayyur Girotra kalidar at Anshula Kapoor’s wedding reception5 natural sources of retinol that can help reduce signs of ageing’Alliance’ row: Kamya Punjabi stands by Kushal Tandon as Zareen Khan and Uorfi Javed call out his behaviour – all you need to knowPsychology says people who always save the best bite for last often share these personality traitsBryan Johnson’s low iron diagnosis puts spotlight on a hidden health warning doctors say adult men should never ignoreShilpa Shinde’s headline-making journey: False harassment case confession, politics and ‘Bigg Boss’ winRainy season shoe hacks: 7 simple ways to dry wet shoes faster during the monsoon7 stunning pictures from Guwahati Airport’s new terminal that are making travellers stop in their tracks123Hot PicksIndia-AustraliaTiesOmar AbdullahNew EPFO portalMahadev AppNET paper leakMonsoon trackerStock market todayStrait of HormuzAP DEECET rank cardTop TrendingCrude oilRamesh MhatreUS Section 301FIFA World Cup 2026India u19 vs Sri Lanka U19Andhra Hospital MurderWeather todayDelhi NCR rainBihar BDO Wife MurderIran war


'We Indians love to spread love': Top quotes from PM Modi's address in Melbourne

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with his Australian counterpart, on Thursday addressed the Indian diaspora during his three-day visit to Australia.Around 30,000 people gathered to hear PM Modi speak in Melbourne, making it the largest gathering addressed by any leader in Australia.Here are the top quotes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech

  • I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to their elders, past, present, and emerging.
  • When I came to Australia in 2014, it was after 28 years that an Indian Prime Minister had visited the country. You may remember that I had then said you would not have to wait another 28 years.
  • In the last 12 years, I have come here for the third time. This time, a hat-trick has been scored! This reflects the heights that India-Australia relations have reached.
  • Ahmedabad, where the world’s largest cricket ground is, and Melbourne, where the iconic stadium is, we have been together at both places. We all have seen, Prime Minister Albanese ji, when he speaks, he captivates the hearts and minds of Indians. You created a sensation in Sydney too, and here you have captivated everyone as well.
  • Melbourne has truly won the day. I am also deeply grateful to my friend—and a friend of India—Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. You were with us in Sydney, and today you have joined the Indian community here in Melbourne as well; in a way, things have come full circle.
  • There are many people here who live in at least two time zones. When children return home from school according to Australian time, people back in India are already waiting for them to come on a video call. The distance may be thousands of kilometres, but their daily routine is still connected with India.
  • This city of Melbourne offers a glimpse of all four seasons in a single day, but the Indian community has made it even more vibrant with the colors of their culture. There are plenty of places here in Melbourne and around, markets that are filled with the hues of Indianness. Some call it Little India, some call it Mini India… whatever the name, the colors are steeped in Indianness.
  • We Indians love to spread love. Your homes may have Australian milk, but the tea made from it is Indian. You must have heard about the Bhajan Clubbing trend driven by the Gen Z of India. And your weekends in Australia are also filled with spiritual activities.
  • The India of the 21st century is working towards becoming a developed nation. When we realise one dream, new dreams take its place. We are a country filled with the aspirations of 140 crore people.
  • We are the fastest-growing economy, and we want to become the world’s third-largest economy as soon as possible, Because our inspiration is: Grow more. Achieve more.
  • You are contributing to Australia’s growth through your hard work, but I know that one eye always remains on India. You closely follow what India is doing, its progress, and the pace at which it is moving forward. The India of the 21st century is working towards the goal of becoming a developed nation. When one dream is fulfilled, it gives birth to another. Earlier, people used to say, ‘One lamp lights another, until thousands are illuminated.’ Today, I say, ‘One dream gives birth to another, and soon there are thousands of dreams.’
  • Today, India has become the world’s second-largest 5G market. India is rapidly working on ‘Made in India’ 6G technology. Over the past 12 years, the metro network has expanded to more than two dozen cities across India. Today, over 12.5 million people travel by metro in India daily. India possesses the third-largest metro network in the world. We are rapidly expanding semi-high-speed networks in India, such as the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and Vande Bharat.”
  • We aspire to become one of the world’s top three economies as soon as possible, driven by the motto: ‘Grow more, achieve more.
  • India is now preparing to launch its ‘Gaganyaan’ mission into space and is working towards the goal of establishing its own space station.



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Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik (L-R) NEW DELHI: Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Prakash Chik Baraik formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kolkata on Thursday, weeks after resigning from the TMC amid growing rebellion within the party.The three leaders were inducted into the BJP at the party’s Salt Lake office in the presence of West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and other senior leaders. Bhattacharya welcomed them by presenting BJP flags and said their political experience would strengthen the party in the state.Their induction comes as the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC continues to face internal turmoil following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections. The crisis began after a large group of MLAs broke away under the leadership of expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, with several MPs also backing the rival camp. Rebel MPs have sought separate seating arrangements in Parliament and have held meetings with senior BJP leaders, fuelling speculation about more defections.Reacting to the development, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said the party had given Sukhendu Sekhar Ray political opportunities that he did not receive before joining the TMC.Speaking to reporters, Ghosh said, “See everyone knows that Sukhendu Sekhar, who is a senior leader, prior to 2011, he never became MP or MLA. Respecting him, Mamata Banerjee sent him to Rajya Sabha. Today he joined BJP… They did not leave when Mamata Banerjee was the CM, public is seeing everything.”The three leaders had resigned from both the TMC and as Rajya Sabha leaders last month.After quitting the party, Sushmita Dev said her decision was based on both political and personal reasons.”It is a long story why I left TMC. I don’t want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. I will not comment on Mamata Didi,” she had said.She added, “I had political and personal reasons to do this. In an independent country, a politician can take any decision in their political life. I express gratitude towards the people of Bengal, but I have to work in Assam.”Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who was among the first senior leaders to resign, had launched a sharp attack on the TMC after stepping down. He blamed the party’s electoral defeat on what he described as years of poor governance and had also alleged that he could have been targeted had he resigned during the RG Kar hospital controversy.”I have met Rajya Sabha chairman and submitted my resignation. I have conveyed my decision to resigning from the party through WhatsApp and email to Mamata Banerjee. I had my tenure till 2029 in the Rajya Sabha, but I have resigned in principle from the party as it would be difficult for me to continue,” he added further,” Ray wrote in his resignation letter. Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Rajya Sabha shortly after Dev and Ray, further deepening concerns over dissent within the TMC.”I hereby resign from the membership of the Rajya Sabha. Kindly accept my resignation with immediate effect,” Baraik wrote in his letter.The political crisis has intensified in recent weeks, with reports suggesting that around 20 Lok Sabha MPs have aligned with the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. The dissident camp has claimed it represents the “real TMC” while ruling out any merger with the Congress.Meanwhile, Mamata in a video address accused the rival faction of betraying the party.”People shouldn’t forgive TMC leaders who are traitors, sided with BJP; don’t try to sail on two boats, there’s still time to look back and address barbarity,” she said.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. 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Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik (L-R) NEW DELHI: Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Prakash Chik Baraik formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kolkata on Thursday, weeks after resigning from the TMC amid growing rebellion within the party.The three leaders were inducted into the BJP at the party’s Salt Lake office in the presence of West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and other senior leaders. Bhattacharya welcomed them by presenting BJP flags and said their political experience would strengthen the party in the state.Their induction comes as the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC continues to face internal turmoil following its defeat in the West Bengal assembly elections. The crisis began after a large group of MLAs broke away under the leadership of expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, with several MPs also backing the rival camp. Rebel MPs have sought separate seating arrangements in Parliament and have held meetings with senior BJP leaders, fuelling speculation about more defections.Reacting to the development, senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said the party had given Sukhendu Sekhar Ray political opportunities that he did not receive before joining the TMC.Speaking to reporters, Ghosh said, “See everyone knows that Sukhendu Sekhar, who is a senior leader, prior to 2011, he never became MP or MLA. Respecting him, Mamata Banerjee sent him to Rajya Sabha. Today he joined BJP… They did not leave when Mamata Banerjee was the CM, public is seeing everything.”The three leaders had resigned from both the TMC and as Rajya Sabha leaders last month.After quitting the party, Sushmita Dev said her decision was based on both political and personal reasons.”It is a long story why I left TMC. I don’t want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. I will not comment on Mamata Didi,” she had said.She added, “I had political and personal reasons to do this. In an independent country, a politician can take any decision in their political life. I express gratitude towards the people of Bengal, but I have to work in Assam.”Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who was among the first senior leaders to resign, had launched a sharp attack on the TMC after stepping down. He blamed the party’s electoral defeat on what he described as years of poor governance and had also alleged that he could have been targeted had he resigned during the RG Kar hospital controversy.”I have met Rajya Sabha chairman and submitted my resignation. I have conveyed my decision to resigning from the party through WhatsApp and email to Mamata Banerjee. I had my tenure till 2029 in the Rajya Sabha, but I have resigned in principle from the party as it would be difficult for me to continue,” he added further,” Ray wrote in his resignation letter. Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Rajya Sabha shortly after Dev and Ray, further deepening concerns over dissent within the TMC.”I hereby resign from the membership of the Rajya Sabha. Kindly accept my resignation with immediate effect,” Baraik wrote in his letter.The political crisis has intensified in recent weeks, with reports suggesting that around 20 Lok Sabha MPs have aligned with the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. The dissident camp has claimed it represents the “real TMC” while ruling out any merger with the Congress.Meanwhile, Mamata in a video address accused the rival faction of betraying the party.”People shouldn’t forgive TMC leaders who are traitors, sided with BJP; don’t try to sail on two boats, there’s still time to look back and address barbarity,” she said.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTensions In MVA As Sanjay Raut Slams Sharad Pawar For Holding Meeting At Eknath Shinde’s OfficeIndia, Myanmar Review Border Security, Intelligence Sharing’Hit With Iron Rod’: Bengaluru PT Teacher Booked After Allegedly Beating 12-Year-Old To DeathIndian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Only Original Rail One App Ticket Will Be AcceptedIndia and Australia Finalise Uranium Export Arrangement Under Civil Nuclear AgreementUGC-NET Under Scanner After Alleged Paper Leak; Education Ministry Seeks NTA InvestigationDRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket; Hits Target With Pinpoint AccuracyBuilding Collapses In Delhi’s Rohini; 1 Dead, Several Trapped; Rescue Ops UnderwayPune Building Buried Under Collapsing Garbage Mound, 16 Feared Trapped Amid Heavy Rain FuryShiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Arrested In KDMC Doctors’ Assault Case: Police123PhotostoriesAamir Khan’s rare ruby wedding ring for Gauri Spratt took 256 hours and 131 artisans to createPowerful life lessons Japanese parents teach their children that the rest of the world can learn fromClear your bowels naturally every morning with these 10 foodsReal Madrid star Kylian Mbappé’s ₹120 crore mansion in Spain features 8 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a private golf areaWant to leave a lasting impression? 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Vamsikrishna 0
‘Purab mat jaiyo more Rajaji …’Passed down through generations, this folk song still echoes the reality of many villages in Bihar, where the men are forced to leave in search of greener pastures.Migration has long been woven into Bihar’s social and cultural landscape. But long-standing gaps in local employment, combined with rising aspirations, have increased the pace of out-migration from villages in recent years.And what is left behind? A patch of land, a half-finished brick house and, most importantly, women who are left to hold everything together.Migration and BiharBihar has long functioned as country’s great labour reservoir.In the early 19th century, young men from this region migrated because of widespread poverty and underdevelopment. After Independence, the trend continued, with migration largely directed towards India’s more developed states.Even today, Biharis can be found across the country in a wide range of roles: from running small businesses like tea stalls in Jammu and Kashmir, working in factories in Gujarat and Maharashtra, and contributing to agriculture in Punjab and Haryana, to taking up skilled, professional and entrepreneurial roles in rapidly growing cities.The decline of traditional industries, including sugar, jute, rice, flour, pulse, oil and paper mills, along with the slow expansion of local employment opportunities, has kept job creation a major challenge in Bihar.The exodus is visible at almost every railway station in the state, where trains bound for other parts of India are packed with young men leaving for a mix of aspiration and economic necessity.An estimated three crore Biharis now work outside the state. Roughly one in four adults and two out of every three households have a family member living away.Migration is no longer confined to the poor. It cuts across caste, class and community. Yet it remains overwhelmingly male, with women accounting for barely five per cent of migrants.The rural milieuMen leave villages in Bihar, often with the aspiration of providing a better standard of living for their families. However, remittances are not the only outcome. Male out-migration also skews the demography of villages and alters the dynamics of families.Just 36km from Patna, Baikatpur village offers a glimpse into the human cost of Bihar’s migration story.Ashok Kumar Dutta, a resident of the village, describes the situation as “dystopian”.Speaking to The Times of India, he says men from almost every household have left in search of work in bigger cities. While migration has marginally improved the economic condition of some families, it has also left behind villages inhabited largely by women, children and the elderly.”When people leave, they don’t take their entire families with them. Those who migrate rarely earn as much as they had hoped. As a result, instead of improving, the family’s economic condition often worsens,” Dutta told TOI.”The women left behind, and even the elderly and children, are forced to take up whatever small jobs they can to make ends meet. Women from the poorest households have little choice but to work in the fields, transplanting paddy and taking up daily-wage labour,” he added.Subhash Kumar, founder of Samadhan Kendra, an NGO in Vaishali district that works with women’s self-help groups, paints a similar picture.He says large-scale migration has drained the village economy and created an acute labour shortage. Even families planning to build a house often struggle to find enough workers.”If you look at the villages today, it’s only natural that there are fewer young people. There are simply no sources of income here. When there are no jobs locally, young people have no option but to leave,” Subhash Kumar told The Times of India.”Why do they migrate? Because they believe they can earn better elsewhere. Their calculations may not always work out, but they still see more opportunities outside Bihar than at home,” he added.The role of womenIt is encouraging when women in any society become economically and socially independent. In Bihar, however, this shift has often come out of necessity rather than choice. Many women have had to take on additional responsibilities beyond the household, including roles that were earlier less commonly undertaken by them.Subhash Kumar says a family cannot survive on the meagre remittances sent by migrants alone. To generate extra income, women often rear livestock or take up daily-wage work to keep the household running.”Today, it is simply not possible for an entire household to survive on the husband’s earnings alone. Suppose the husband is working outside the state and sends home Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000 every month. A family cannot survive on that money alone. If there’s a wedding in the extended family, a social function, a medical emergency or any unexpected expense, they need extra,” Subhash Kumar said.”Now imagine the husband falls ill or is unable to send money for two or three months. How will the household manage? In such situations, women take up daily-wage work. They work in the fields or wherever they can find work locally. If there is no work available, they rear cows, buffaloes or goats. Whatever little income they earn from livestock helps keep the household running,” he added.Nabanipa Bhattacharjee, sociology professor at Sri Venkateswara College, says seasonal migration, which is prevalent in Bihar, often creates a temporary gender imbalance in villages, with women outnumbering men for much of the year.”Migration has pushed women into roles they didn’t traditionally occupy. They now manage agriculture, run households, look after children and the elderly, and handle finances sent back as remittances. You can call it the feminisation of agriculture,” Professor Bhattacharjee told The Times of India.”While the men are away, women have to manage everything. However, the right to take important decisions still largely remains with the men,” she added.Professor Bhattacharjee said that despite the growing role of women in villages, their workload and emotional stress from spousal separation have surged.”While seasonal migration temporarily skews village populations toward women and expands their roles, it doesn’t automatically translate into greater social status or authority,” she said.The fragile economicsThe Bihar government has launched several welfare schemes to make women in rural areas financially independent and improve the long-term viability of women-led enterprises. Schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana provide a grant of Rs 10,000 to women from households, with additional assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh linked to the progress of their enterprises.Jeevika is another poverty-alleviation programme that aims to empower rural women socially and economically by organising them into self-help groups. These groups help women save money, learn new skills, start small businesses and become part of the formal economy.Jeevika has mobilised more than 1.4 crore women across Bihar into self-help groups, creating one of the largest women’s collectives in the world.Initiatives such as self-help groups and community-based livelihood programmes like Jeevika have expanded women’s economic participation by promoting collective entrepreneurship and creating local livelihood opportunities. But for many families, migration still determines whether these efforts succeed.According to Subhash Kumar, however, these schemes also operate within a difficult rural economy. He says that direct financial support can help women start work, but low purchasing power in villages and dependence on remittances continue to shape whether small enterprises survive.”Most women here take loans, but even those loans depend on the men in the family. Suppose the husband has migrated for work. As long as he keeps sending money home, the loan instalments are paid on time. But if, for some reason, the money stops coming for two months, four months or even six months, how can the family avoid defaulting?” he told The Times of India.That is the paradox of migration in Bihar. It gives families a lifeline, but also leaves women carrying the burden of homes, farms, debts and decisions that are still not always theirs to make.Until local work becomes steady enough to keep men closer home, Bihar’s villages will continue to run on two engines: money sent from outside, and the unpaid, underpaid and often invisible labour of women left behind.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia, Myanmar Review Border Security, Intelligence Sharing’Hit With Iron Rod’: Bengaluru PT Teacher Booked After Allegedly Beating 12-Year-Old To DeathIndian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Only Original Rail One App Ticket Will Be AcceptedIndia and Australia Finalise Uranium Export Arrangement Under Civil Nuclear AgreementUGC-NET Under Scanner After Alleged Paper Leak; Education Ministry Seeks NTA InvestigationDRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket; Hits Target With Pinpoint AccuracyBuilding Collapses In Delhi’s Rohini; 1 Dead, Several Trapped; Rescue Ops UnderwayPune Building Buried Under Collapsing Garbage Mound, 16 Feared Trapped Amid Heavy Rain FuryShiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Arrested In KDMC Doctors’ Assault Case: PoliceEggs Thrown, ‘Chor-Chor’ Slogans At Mamata Banerjee’s Rally In West Bengal123PhotostoriesAamir Khan’s rare ruby wedding ring for Gauri Spratt took 256 hours and 131 artisans to createPowerful life lessons Japanese parents teach their children that the rest of the world can learn fromClear your bowels naturally every morning with these 10 foodsReal Madrid star Kylian Mbappé’s ₹120 crore mansion in Spain features 8 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a private golf areaWant to leave a lasting impression? 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‘Purab mat jaiyo more Rajaji …’Passed down through generations, this folk song still echoes the reality of many villages in Bihar, where the men are forced to leave in search of greener pastures.Migration has long been woven into Bihar’s social and cultural landscape. But long-standing gaps in local employment, combined with rising aspirations, have increased the pace of out-migration from villages in recent years.And what is left behind? A patch of land, a half-finished brick house and, most importantly, women who are left to hold everything together.Migration and BiharBihar has long functioned as country’s great labour reservoir.In the early 19th century, young men from this region migrated because of widespread poverty and underdevelopment. After Independence, the trend continued, with migration largely directed towards India’s more developed states.Even today, Biharis can be found across the country in a wide range of roles: from running small businesses like tea stalls in Jammu and Kashmir, working in factories in Gujarat and Maharashtra, and contributing to agriculture in Punjab and Haryana, to taking up skilled, professional and entrepreneurial roles in rapidly growing cities.The decline of traditional industries, including sugar, jute, rice, flour, pulse, oil and paper mills, along with the slow expansion of local employment opportunities, has kept job creation a major challenge in Bihar.The exodus is visible at almost every railway station in the state, where trains bound for other parts of India are packed with young men leaving for a mix of aspiration and economic necessity.An estimated three crore Biharis now work outside the state. Roughly one in four adults and two out of every three households have a family member living away.Migration is no longer confined to the poor. It cuts across caste, class and community. Yet it remains overwhelmingly male, with women accounting for barely five per cent of migrants.The rural milieuMen leave villages in Bihar, often with the aspiration of providing a better standard of living for their families. However, remittances are not the only outcome. Male out-migration also skews the demography of villages and alters the dynamics of families.Just 36km from Patna, Baikatpur village offers a glimpse into the human cost of Bihar’s migration story.Ashok Kumar Dutta, a resident of the village, describes the situation as “dystopian”.Speaking to The Times of India, he says men from almost every household have left in search of work in bigger cities. While migration has marginally improved the economic condition of some families, it has also left behind villages inhabited largely by women, children and the elderly.”When people leave, they don’t take their entire families with them. Those who migrate rarely earn as much as they had hoped. As a result, instead of improving, the family’s economic condition often worsens,” Dutta told TOI.”The women left behind, and even the elderly and children, are forced to take up whatever small jobs they can to make ends meet. Women from the poorest households have little choice but to work in the fields, transplanting paddy and taking up daily-wage labour,” he added.Subhash Kumar, founder of Samadhan Kendra, an NGO in Vaishali district that works with women’s self-help groups, paints a similar picture.He says large-scale migration has drained the village economy and created an acute labour shortage. Even families planning to build a house often struggle to find enough workers.”If you look at the villages today, it’s only natural that there are fewer young people. There are simply no sources of income here. When there are no jobs locally, young people have no option but to leave,” Subhash Kumar told The Times of India.”Why do they migrate? Because they believe they can earn better elsewhere. Their calculations may not always work out, but they still see more opportunities outside Bihar than at home,” he added.The role of womenIt is encouraging when women in any society become economically and socially independent. In Bihar, however, this shift has often come out of necessity rather than choice. Many women have had to take on additional responsibilities beyond the household, including roles that were earlier less commonly undertaken by them.Subhash Kumar says a family cannot survive on the meagre remittances sent by migrants alone. To generate extra income, women often rear livestock or take up daily-wage work to keep the household running.”Today, it is simply not possible for an entire household to survive on the husband’s earnings alone. Suppose the husband is working outside the state and sends home Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000 every month. A family cannot survive on that money alone. If there’s a wedding in the extended family, a social function, a medical emergency or any unexpected expense, they need extra,” Subhash Kumar said.”Now imagine the husband falls ill or is unable to send money for two or three months. How will the household manage? In such situations, women take up daily-wage work. They work in the fields or wherever they can find work locally. If there is no work available, they rear cows, buffaloes or goats. Whatever little income they earn from livestock helps keep the household running,” he added.Nabanipa Bhattacharjee, sociology professor at Sri Venkateswara College, says seasonal migration, which is prevalent in Bihar, often creates a temporary gender imbalance in villages, with women outnumbering men for much of the year.”Migration has pushed women into roles they didn’t traditionally occupy. They now manage agriculture, run households, look after children and the elderly, and handle finances sent back as remittances. You can call it the feminisation of agriculture,” Professor Bhattacharjee told The Times of India.”While the men are away, women have to manage everything. However, the right to take important decisions still largely remains with the men,” she added.Professor Bhattacharjee said that despite the growing role of women in villages, their workload and emotional stress from spousal separation have surged.”While seasonal migration temporarily skews village populations toward women and expands their roles, it doesn’t automatically translate into greater social status or authority,” she said.The fragile economicsThe Bihar government has launched several welfare schemes to make women in rural areas financially independent and improve the long-term viability of women-led enterprises. Schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana provide a grant of Rs 10,000 to women from households, with additional assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh linked to the progress of their enterprises.Jeevika is another poverty-alleviation programme that aims to empower rural women socially and economically by organising them into self-help groups. These groups help women save money, learn new skills, start small businesses and become part of the formal economy.Jeevika has mobilised more than 1.4 crore women across Bihar into self-help groups, creating one of the largest women’s collectives in the world.Initiatives such as self-help groups and community-based livelihood programmes like Jeevika have expanded women’s economic participation by promoting collective entrepreneurship and creating local livelihood opportunities. But for many families, migration still determines whether these efforts succeed.According to Subhash Kumar, however, these schemes also operate within a difficult rural economy. He says that direct financial support can help women start work, but low purchasing power in villages and dependence on remittances continue to shape whether small enterprises survive.”Most women here take loans, but even those loans depend on the men in the family. Suppose the husband has migrated for work. As long as he keeps sending money home, the loan instalments are paid on time. But if, for some reason, the money stops coming for two months, four months or even six months, how can the family avoid defaulting?” he told The Times of India.That is the paradox of migration in Bihar. It gives families a lifeline, but also leaves women carrying the burden of homes, farms, debts and decisions that are still not always theirs to make.Until local work becomes steady enough to keep men closer home, Bihar’s villages will continue to run on two engines: money sent from outside, and the unpaid, underpaid and often invisible labour of women left behind.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorRohitashwa RanjanRohitashwa Ranjan is a digital journalist with The Times of India, where he decodes Indian politics as a carefully staged production with scripts, subtext and everything behind. His stories track elections, party dynamics and the things that often are buried beneath the headlines. When not parsing vote shares or alliances, he is usually reading between the lines, where the real story tends to reside.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia, Myanmar Review Border Security, Intelligence Sharing’Hit With Iron Rod’: Bengaluru PT Teacher Booked After Allegedly Beating 12-Year-Old To DeathIndian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Only Original Rail One App Ticket Will Be AcceptedIndia and Australia Finalise Uranium Export Arrangement Under Civil Nuclear AgreementUGC-NET Under Scanner After Alleged Paper Leak; Education Ministry Seeks NTA InvestigationDRDO Successfully Tests Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket; Hits Target With Pinpoint AccuracyBuilding Collapses In Delhi’s Rohini; 1 Dead, Several Trapped; Rescue Ops UnderwayPune Building Buried Under Collapsing Garbage Mound, 16 Feared Trapped Amid Heavy Rain FuryShiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Arrested In KDMC Doctors’ Assault Case: PoliceEggs Thrown, ‘Chor-Chor’ Slogans At Mamata Banerjee’s Rally In West Bengal123PhotostoriesAamir Khan’s rare ruby wedding ring for Gauri Spratt took 256 hours and 131 artisans to createPowerful life lessons Japanese parents teach their children that the rest of the world can learn fromClear your bowels naturally every morning with these 10 foodsReal Madrid star Kylian Mbappé’s ₹120 crore mansion in Spain features 8 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a private golf areaWant to leave a lasting impression? Start with these everyday habits attractive women swear by”Eat this before your meal”: Sadhguru recommends eating a simple food combination before every meal; recipe and benefits insideJanhvi Kapoor trades her ethereal Apsara saree for a regal midnight blue Mayyur Girotra kalidar at Anshula Kapoor’s wedding reception5 natural sources of retinol that can help reduce signs of ageing’Alliance’ row: Kamya Punjabi stands by Kushal Tandon as Zareen Khan and Uorfi Javed call out his behaviour – all you need to knowPsychology says people who always save the best bite for last often share these personality traits123Hot PicksIndia-AustraliaTiesOmar AbdullahNew EPFO portalMahadev AppNET paper leakMonsoon trackerStock market todayStrait of HormuzAP DEECET rank cardTop TrendingCrude oilRamesh MhatreUS Section 301FIFA World Cup 2026India u19 vs Sri Lanka U19Andhra Hospital MurderWeather todayDelhi NCR rainBihar BDO Wife MurderIran war

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