Pilot Bhabhi now: PM reveals how drones changed Jharkhand woman's life

A woman from Jharkhand has earned the nickname "Pilot Bhabhi" after learning to operate agricultural drones, PM Modi revealed at the India Today Group's Bharat Agriculture Conference. He said the Namo Drone Didi initiative was not only modernising farming but also transforming the social standing of rural women, who are the scheme's beneficiaries.The Namo Drone Didi scheme aims to help women's self-help groups earn at least Rs 1 lakh extra annually through drone-based farming services. (AI-generated)New Delhi,Nov 12, 2026 23:29 ISTA woman from Jharkhand who once had an ordinary standing in her village is now being called "Pilot Bhabhi", thanks to her ability to operate agricultural drones. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared her story on Thursday, highlighting how technology was transforming not just farming practices but also the social standing of rural women. The woman, trained to operate drones for agricultural activities, told Modi that even her family members now addressed her as a pilot, revealed the Prime Minister.Speaking at the India Today Group's Bharat Agriculture Conference 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Thursday (November 12), PM Modi cited the woman's experience to demonstrate the impact of the Namo Drone Didi initiative.The Prime Minister said the Namo Drone Didi programme had challenged the belief that sophisticated technology could not be used in Indian villages. He highlighted how women trained under the initiative were using drones to spray fertilisers and insecticides. Modi added that the scope of drone applications in agriculture was also expanding.The Namo Drone Didi scheme, approved by the Centre in November 2023 with an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore, aimed to provide 15,000 agricultural drones to women-led self-help groups. The initiative trains rural women to operate drones for spraying fertilisers and pesticides, helping them earn additional income and become agricultural service providers. HOW JHARKHAND WOMAN BECAME 'PILOT BHABHI'Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the example of Namo Drone Didis to explain how the use of technology in farming activities was earning new respect for people."I was speaking to a Drone Didi from Jharkhand. She told me that her status had completely changed. I asked her why. She said the entire village now called her a pilot. Even her brothers-in-law called her 'Pilot Bhabhi'," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister shared the anecdote while discussing how agricultural technology was creating new opportunities in rural India. He said the Namo Drone Didis had proved wrong those who believed that advanced technology could not be deployed in villages.While PM Modi did not identify the Jharkhand woman he referred to as "Pilot Bhabhi", an Aaj Tak report from March 2025, reported an interaction in which a woman drone pilot told PM Modi that her family members had begun calling her "Pilot" instead of "Bhabhi".His remarks came during the concluding session of the two-day Kisan Tak Agriculture Conference, held on November 11 and 12, which brought together more than 2,000 farmers, agricultural scientists, policymakers and industry representatives.WHAT IS NAMO DRONE DIDI SCHEME?The Centre approved the Namo Drone Didi scheme in November 2023, to equip women's self-help groups (SHGs) with agricultural drones and create additional livelihood opportunities.According to the Union Agriculture Ministry, the Rs 1,261-crore scheme aimed to provide 15,000 drones to selected women's SHGs during the 2023-24 to 2025-26 period.The drones are intended to provide rental services to farmers, particularly for spraying liquid fertilisers and pesticides. Under the scheme, selected SHGs receive financial assistance covering 80% of the drone package cost, up to Rs 8 lakh.The government also provides 15 days of drone pilot training and five days of drone assistant training.Since the scheme's launch, Drone Didis across India are making a name for themselves.In Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, Neetu Singh earns up to Rs 2,000 a day spraying crops and employs two assistants, while Neetu Paswan of Gorakhpur claims monthly earnings of Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000.In Madhya Pradesh's Chambal region, Sunita Sharma and Khushboo Lodhi have gained recognition for using drones to spray fertilisers, while Haryana's Sharmila Yadav has fulfilled her dream of becoming a pilot by operating agricultural drones.In Bihar's Buxar, Champa Devi says villagers now recognise her as "Drone Didi" rather than by her husband's name, Kisan Tak reported.According to a Ministry of Agriculture statement issued in February 2026, fertiliser companies had distributed 1,094 drones to women SHGs in 2023-24, including 500 under the government scheme.The initiative aims to help women become agricultural service providers, generating income while bringing modern technology to Indian farms.- Ends(Written by Sushim Mukul)