Raipur (Chhattisgarh)

Tribal women who once wielded guns and lived in the dense jungles of Bastar, a key part of the red corridor, Indian territory infested with Naxal militants, have walked the ramp wearing handlooms and looking like professional models.

As a striking sign of transformation, women who once moved through the dense forests of Chhattisgarh's Bastar region carrying weapons as Naxalites walked the ramp to loud applause at a programme organised to mark National Handloom Day in Raipur, showcasing their change since surrendering and rejoining the mainstream.

According to sources, the former Naxal women modelling have been identified as Punem Deve, Medium Gangi, Madvi Deve, Madvi Nadanni, Madvi Male, Podiyam Raje, Doddi Rame, Madkam Bhime, and Punem Joytti.

Naxal-Free Bastar Under Modi Government 🔥

Former women Naxals once lived with weapons in the forests. Today, they are walking the ramp to applause at a National Handloom Day event. 👏 pic.twitter.com/oVjaVYnZ2J

— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) August 13, 2026

The women donned handloom outfits and walked confidently on the ramp as part of the Tribal fashion show event.

Naxalism, also known as Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), was effectively brought to an end in India on March 31, 2026, when the government declared the country Naxal-free after reducing the number of affected districts from 126 in 2014 to zero.

At its peak, the Maoist insurgency had spread across more than 180 districts, mostly in tribal heartlands, stretching from Uttar Pradesh to Andhra Pradesh through Maharashtra and Telangana. The government adopted an integrated strategy that focused on winning the trust of local communities, expanding infrastructure and taking on the extremists.

Ex-Naxals speaking after their ramp walk in Raipur

Women fighters constituted approximately 35% to 40% of the Maoist strength. Many of them had been recruited as child soldiers.

Earlier last week, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, met with Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi on Friday to request special relaxations in central infrastructure schemes to accelerate development in the state's Bastar region.

Speaking after the meeting, Chief Minister Sai highlighted that after decades of insurgency, Bastar has transitioned into a peaceful zone, creating an urgent need for robust road connectivity to integrate the region into mainstream development.

A Naxal-turned handloom model at the show

"Today, accompanied by our state's Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, we met with the Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture, Shivraj Singh Chouhan; officials were also present during the meeting. After 40-50 years, our Bastar region has finally become Naxal-free, and there is a great need for development there. Connectivity is crucial from a development perspective," said Vishnu Deo Sai, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.

"Although we have received many roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the population density in that area is very low; therefore, we met with the Minister to request some relaxation in the scheme's norms. He listened to us patiently and assured us that he would take the initiative in this matter," Sai said.

The Chief Minister noted that while Chhattisgarh has benefited significantly under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the unique demographic profile of Bastar poses challenges under standard central funding guidelines.

Former female Naxalites, who once took up arms in the dense forests of Bastar, today joined the mainstream and walked the ramp on the National Handloom Day stage in Raipur.

This change demonstrates that through development, opportunity, and trust, it is possible to turn away… pic.twitter.com/l126MR4Dok

— NEEL RAO (@bjpneelrao) August 13, 2026

Because the region features low population density spread across vast geographical areas, strict population thresholds under current PMGS norms make it difficult to construct roads connecting remote habitats.

"Although we have received many roads under the Pradhan Mantri G Sadak Yojana, the population density in that area is very low; therefor met with the Minister to request some relaxation in the scheme's nor He listened to us patiently and assured.

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Can you believe that these women walking the ramp were once Naxalites who had surrendered? Today, they are walking in a fashion show organised under the Chhattisgarh government's rehabilitation policy and promoting handloom.