The 78th Independence Day was celebrated at the Head Office on August 15, 2024, with great enthusiasm and fervour. The office premises were adorned with elaborate lighting, decorations, and floral arrangements, creating an atmosphere of celebration.

Upon arrival, Shri G S Rawat and Shri A. K. Sood, Deputy Managing Directors of NABARD, were welcomed with a Guard of Honour. The event was attended by the bank’s serving and retired staff, along with their family members.

Both the DMDs together hoisted the national flag. The staff members  then assembled in the auditorium where the DMDs addressed the audience.

Shri A.K. Sood, DMD, in his address, highlighted NABARD's significant contributions over the years. He noted that NABARD has played a pivotal role in achieving national milestones and fulfilling its original mandate. He underscored NABARD's pioneering efforts in microfinance through the SHG-Bank linkage program, its provision of rural infrastructure finance to state governments, and its policy-level inputs on agriculture and rural finance. Shri Sood also introduced NABARD’s plan to conduct a bimonthly rural sentiment survey to inform and reorient policy-making in the agriculture sector. He encouraged the staff to embrace greater technology adoption and to transition from facilitators to implementers.

Shri G.S. Rawat, DMD, spoke about Independence Day as a time to honor our freedom fighters and draw inspiration from their ideals to responsibly achieve our goals. He reflected on NABARD's 44-year history of addressing agriculture and rural development challenges, noting the significant impact made. However, he emphasized the emerging challenge of climate change, which threatens to disproportionately affect the livelihoods of the poor. Shri Rawat assured that NABARD is taking proactive steps to tackle climate change and innovate solutions. He highlighted the continued importance of cooperatives in supporting poor rural households and reaffirmed NABARD's commitment to enhancing their performance. Acknowledging the staff's honesty and dedication, he stressed the need for acquiring new skills and engaging effectively with social media, given its growing relevance. He concluded by emphasizing that the Government of India has high expectations from NABARD, and we must strive to meet them with excellence.

Following the DMD’s address, the staff members of NABARD organized a captivating performance. The DMD’s interacted with the performers, offering words of encouragement for their efforts.

The memorable celebration of 78^th Independence day ended with the Vote of thanks by the CGM DPSP Shri P K Bhardwaj . The event concluded with light refreshments.