The actor, television host, author and fitness icon honored the changemakers with the prestigious Mina Swaminathan Award for their lifelong contributions to India’s childcare ecosystem.
New Delhi, Delhi, India – Today, at the annual Childcare Champion Awards sponsored by FORCES (Forum for Daycare and Childcare Services) and Mobile Creches, Mandira Bedi, leading actress, television presenter, author and fitness enthusiast, came together to celebrate the International Day of Care and Support at the Indian Islamic Cultural Center in New Delhi.
Lending her voice to the urgent national conversation on quality child care and child support, Mandira presented the Mina Swaminathan Award to Nirmala Kunwar for dedicating her life to creating a better care ecosystem for children.
Speaking about the importance of childcare, Mandira Bedi said, “Every child deserves intentional care, not luck, that shapes their future. As a mother, I know that the first six years of childhood define a person’s life. But millions of parents in India do not have the support systems they need to provide their children with that loving care. Through Mobile Creches and FORCES, I hope to help raise the right kind of awareness about childcare – that it is not a privilege, but a right.”
The care and support that children receive during the first six years of their lives lay a fundamental foundation for the learning, health and well-being that can define their entire lives. Mandira’s support for the cause will help raise awareness about the importance of loving care in these crucial years of childhood.
Their presence underscored growing public recognition that child care is critical to India’s growth story. As a mother and adoptive parent, her journey embodies empathy and resilience, values that deeply align with Mobile Creches’ mission to make care visible, valued and supported.
“Mandira represents the modern Indian mother: conscious, compassionate and willing to use her voice for the next generation,” said Sumitra Mishra, CEO of Mobile Creches. “Your association with us on International Day of Care marks a milestone in creating public awareness on loving care and shared responsibility for India’s youngest citizens. The only way to protect India’s future and achieve a Viksit Bharat by 2047 is to nurture our youngest citizens.”
The Childcare Champions award, now in its second edition, recognizes the valuable contributions of individuals and institutions committed to creating an enriching ecosystem for the proper growth and development of children. Rashmi Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, delivered a speech emphasizing the need for quality childcare for the development of children and the need for training and capacity building of childcare workers.
The event also saw the launch of a policy brief on “Building a skilled and professional childcare workforce” by Sambodhi Research and FORCES. The report highlights the impact of undervaluing care work on children’s developmental outcomes and women’s labor force participation. It requires recognizing child care as a public good, increasing public investment, guaranteeing inter-ministerial coordination and formalizing care work as qualified and dignified employment.
The crisis of the early years
It is estimated that by 2030, India will have 164.5 million children under the age of six. Despite this wide range of national policies and plans, childcare remains a low priority.
Research from the Mobile Creches Child Care Landscape and Political Economy Study together with Sambodhi, a global research and advisory organization dedicated to promoting evidence-based solutions to complex global problems, reveals that:
• Less than one in three children under 3 years of age in India has access to any form of early learning or care.
• Childcare is often treated as unpaid domestic work, falling solely on women, resulting in low public investment and weak policy attention.
• By 2030, India will need
• Child care centers needed (by 2030): Approximately 2.6 million child care services are needed.
• Child care workers needed (by 2030): An estimated 5.2 million trained child care workers are needed.
• Public Spending on ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education): India’s current public spending on ECCE remains critically low, hovering around 0.1% of GDP annually.
• Recommended spending on ECCE: International organizations recommend that countries invest at least 1% of GDP in ECCE. Alternative projections suggest India needs between 1.5 and 2.5% of GDP.
The power of loving care
Nurturing care – defined by responsive caregiving, early learning, safety, nutrition and health – is not just a parenting ideal but an essential component of nation-building.
Countries that invest in early childhood care have stronger human capital, higher female labor force participation, and lower inequality.
Despite demonstrated global evidence that every Rs. 1 invested in early childhood returns up to Rs. 13 in returns through improved education, health and productivity outcomes, funding and systemic prioritization remain inadequate.
As India looks towards Viksit Bharat 2047, the event’s message was clear: the nation’s progress begins with its youngest citizens. Mandira Bedi’s call to action echoed this vision, reminding audiences that investing in child care is not only a moral imperative but also a national one. Their advocacy reinforces that loving care today is the foundation for a stronger, more inclusive India tomorrow.
About mobile daycares
For more than five decades, Mobile Creches has worked to ensure that all children under the age of six, especially those from working-class and migrant families, have access to loving care, early learning and protection. In partnership with governments, employers and civil society, Mobile Creches continues to be a national voice for early childhood development, recognition of care work and systemic change.
For more information, visit www.mobilecreches.org.
Post Views:
61
