THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was dream come true moment for Praja Narayanan of Attappadi, Reena K of Kasaragod, Shyamala Ravi of Wayanad, and Icy Mol of Idukki as they strolled down the famed Amrit Udyan at Rashtrapati Bhavan, a place they had only glimpsed on television and in newspapers until now.

The four Kudumbashree members, belonging to tribal communities, were invited as honoured guests as a tribute to their exemplary work over the past three years in economically and socially empowering women in tribal areas. All four women were former Kudumbashree CDS chairpersons from the Scheduled Tribe communities.

The opportunity is awarded by the Ministry of Rural Development to women from self-help groups who excel in tribal development. When Kudumbashree informed them of the invitation, disbelief quickly gave way to excitement. On March 8, they set off for New Delhi.

Of the four, only Praja had previously visited Delhi, travelling by train for the National Saras Mela. But she hadn’t had the chance to explore the city then. For the others, this was their very first trip -- an adventure beyond the familiar landscapes of their villages.

In Delhi, they visited Amrit Udyan, India Gate, Qutub Minar, Akshardham Temple, and Humayun’s Tomb.The trip was coordinated by Kudumbashree state assistant programme manager Preetha G Nair. The group is scheduled to return to Kerala on Wednesday.