Srinagar, Sept. 9 -- The Bharat of 2047 will be built by children who have not yet entered school. Their journey towards a healthy, confident and capable adulthood begins much earlier, most decisively in the first 1,000 days of life. For millions of Indian children and their mothers, that journey is supported by a familiar neighbourhood institution: the Anganwadi.

Long before entering classroom, children are weighed and measured at an Anganwadi, receive a warm meal and hear rhymes outside home. It is where expectant parents receive counselling. Today, 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres serve as the first point of contact between citizen and State, reaching over 8.9 crore children, women and adolescent girls. The 25.2 lakh Anganwadi Workers and He...