New Delhi: Indian social activist and Padma Shri awardee Sindhutai Sapkal Dies, who served orphans, died of a heart attack in Pune on Tuesday. She was 73 years old. She made the care of destitute, orphan children her aim. She was known as “Mother of the orphans”. Sindhutai Sapkal was famous all over the world. Sindhutai, the mother of orphans, had made her own identity through service.
Early life
Sindhutai was born on 14 November 1948 in a village named Pimpri Meghe in the Wardha district of Maharashtra. His family did not want a child, so this unwanted girl was named ‘Chindhi’. Sindhutai’s father Abhiman Sathe was conscious of his education despite his wife’s opposition. But after studying till the 4th standard, at the age of only 12, Sindhutai was married to her much older Srihari Sapkal. Let us tell you that Sindhutai had become a mother to 3 children only at the age of 20.
Torture and struggle
Sindhutai’s life was very difficult. When she was pregnant for the fourth time, her husband had thrown her out of the house mercilessly by thrashing her. She was nine months pregnant at that time. Sindhutai had to become homeless because of a landlord named Damdaji Asatkar. Actually, the thing was that you raised your voice for the remuneration of the women who lift cow dung in the village.
Which had an effect and taking cognizance of this, the District Magistrate gave women their rights. But the money that Damdaji used to get from the forest department in return for this work of women was stopped. Because of which he made false propaganda of having a child in Sindhutai’s womb. After which there was darkness in Sindhutai’s life.
Moaning from the pain of childbirth, Sindhutai gave birth to her baby girl (Tabela) in a cowshed. Sindhutai has mentioned in many programs that she broke her umbilical cord 16 times by stoning her. Sindhutai wandered deeply about her newborn daughter, but no one came forward as her support. Even her own mother supported him.
After which Sindhutai took refuge in the crematorium, facing the crisis. There, on the fire of the burning corpse, the mother and daughter quenched their hunger by baking loaves of flour kept there for the rituals. In her struggling life, Sindhutai lived on a train, sometimes by begging for alms. During this, he met many orphans and destitute children, for whom Sindhutai’s love arose. And Sindhutai found a purpose in her life.
Newborn
Sindhutai took care of the destitute, orphaned children as the purpose of her new life. Thus Sindhutai was born again. She used to go from place to place and collect food and other help for the children. At first, society rejected him but seeing his work, people came to the aid of their own volition. The journey here was full of hardships and thorny roads. Sindhutai was so inspired by his work that she even distanced his daughter Mamta from herself for this work. She became the ‘mother’ of hundreds of children by handing it over to Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust.
Sindhutai’s life journey of 73 years was full of struggle, but she converted him into enthusiasm by voting the same struggle. She raised about 1050 orphan children in her life, educated them, and made them capable. Many of these people today run orphanages themselves. Sindhutai’s orphanage building is located in Manjari in the Pune district.
Prize
Sindhutai was awarded more than 900 national and international awards for her wonderful work. She was recently awarded the Padma Shri for social work. The awards she received include Nari Shakti Puraskar from the President of India, Ahilyabai Holkar Award (Maharashtra State), National Award “Iconic Mother”, Sahyadri Hirkani Award, Real Heroes Award (Reliance), Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Award, Basav Seva Sangh from Pune Basav Bhushan Award, Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice, National Award for Distinguished Mother, etc.
Marathi movie- Mee Sindhutai Sapkal
In the year 2010, the Marathi film ‘Mee Sindhutai Sapkal’ was made on the biography of Sindhutai. In it, his struggle journey and service work have been effectively brought to the screen. Actress Tejaswini Pandit was honored with the National Award for her portrayal of Sindhutai in the film. The film was directed by noted filmmaker Ananth Mahadevan.
Message and inspiration
Sindhutai said in her message, ‘Everyone lives for selfishness, live a little for others too. Mai has always inspired the youth of today. She told the youth, ‘Use your studies and writings for the welfare of others, in the national interest. He also appealed to the parents not to leave them alone. She was literally the Sindhu (ocean) of Mamta.
