A schoolteacher from Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district experienced an unexpected moment of fame after a heartfelt letter of gratitude she wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a personal response from him. Arunashree Awasthi, a Mathematics and Science educator, found herself at the centre of media attention after her simple act of thanking the PM for systemic improvements in LPG cylinder delivery turned into a national story.
From Kitchen Crisis to a Letter of Thanks
The chain of events began with a common household crisis. Arunashree Awasthi, a teacher at St Don Bosco School, was preparing dinner one day in December when her cooking gas cylinder ran out unexpectedly. With her husband away, she made a quick call to him. He contacted their gas agency, and to her astonishment, a new cylinder was delivered to their residence within just 15 minutes.
This prompt service stood in stark contrast to her memories of the pre-2014 era. She recalled times marked by long waiting periods, rampant black marketing, and significant corruption in the distribution of domestic gas cylinders. The efficiency of the current system moved her to put pen to paper. On December 1, she drafted a letter to Prime Minister Modi, expressing her sincere appreciation for the transformation she witnessed.
In her letter, she did not just thank him for the quick delivery but also highlighted various government initiatives that have eased daily life for ordinary women. She specifically mentioned the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the convenience of mobile booking for cylinders, reliable home delivery services, and the direct transfer of subsidy to bank accounts. She wrote that these “small improvements have made the lives of ordinary women much more secure, comfortable and dignified.”
The Surprise Reply from the Prime Minister's Office
After sending the letter, Awasthi assumed it would be lost among the thousands of communications that reach the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) daily. She soon forgot about it. However, a few days ago, she received an unexpected call from the PMO. The officials informed her that the Prime Minister's written reply to her letter had been returned to Delhi because of an address issue and they wanted to confirm her correct residential details.
Once confirmed, the much-awaited letter from the Prime Minister arrived at her doorstep last Wednesday. “The PMO also called to confirm whether I received the letter. I was so thrilled,” an excited Awasthi stated. She added, “However, I do not know how the matter reached the media. I got calls all day. It is so exciting that Modi ji not only read my letter but also replied to it.” The media attention made her feel like a local celebrity.
PM Modi's Response and the Bigger Picture
In his reply, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the sentiment behind letters like Awasthi's. He stated that such heartfelt messages from citizens whose lives have been positively impacted by government schemes serve as his “energy for national service.”
The Prime Minister listed several key initiatives that are focused on empowering women both socially and economically. These included:
- Schemes ensuring access to electricity, clean water, and toilets.
- The construction of pucca (permanent) houses.
- The transformative Ujjwala scheme providing free LPG connections.
- Expanded banking facilities and the Mudra loan scheme for entrepreneurship.
PM Modi expressed great pride in the leadership role Indian women are playing across sectors and emphasized that the blessings and support of the country's millions of mothers, sisters, and daughters are his “biggest inspiration.” This exchange between a teacher from Lakhimpur Kheri and the country's Prime Minister underscores the direct connection citizens feel with flagship welfare programs and the value of responsive governance.
