Born Vardha, Maharashtra FPRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=" India

Residence Hadapsar, Pune

Nationality Indian
Other names Mother of orphans Marathi! "
Known for Raisin# orphan $hi%dren
Religion Hindu
Spouse &hrihari &ap'a%
Children
(ne )io%o#i$a% *ir% and + Ma%e Chi%d
,-./ Adopted
Sou. Sindhutai SapkalMarathi! 0 ", a%so 'no1n as Mother of Orphans
2,3 Marathi! " is an Indian so$ia% 1or'er and so$ia% a$ti4ist 'no1n
parti$u%ar%5 for her 1or' for raisin# orphan $hi%dren0
[edit !ersonal life
Chi%dhood ni$'na6e "Chindi" 6eanin# torn $%oth0 &he 1as na6ed thus as an un1anted
$hi%d0 &he $ou%d attend s$hoo% unti% .th #rade, attended part7ti6e due to other fa6i%5
responsi8i%ities0 &he 1as 8rou#ht up in a89e$t po4ert50 *ot 6arried at the a#e of :0 Her
hus8and a8andoned her at the a#e of /-, and she %eft ho6e 1ith her infant dau#hter0 &he
%ater donated her 8io%o#i$a% $hi%d to the trust &hri6ant ;a#du &heth Ha%1ai, Pune, on%5
to e%i6inate the fee%in# of partia%it5 8et1een her dau#hter and the adopted ones0 As of
,::< &indhutai &ap'a% has nurtured a8out ,-./ orphaned $hi%dren02/3 Man5 of the
$hi%dren !ersonal life
Chi%dhood ni$'na6e "Chindi" 6eanin# torn $%oth0 &he 1as na6ed thus as an un1anted
$hi%d0 &he $ou%d attend s$hoo% unti% .th #rade, attended part7ti6e due to other fa6i%5
responsi8i%ities0 &he 1as 8rou#ht up in a89e$t po4ert50 *ot 6arried at the a#e of :0 Her
hus8and a8andoned her at the a#e of /-, and she %eft ho6e 1ith her infant dau#hter0 &he
%ater donated her 8io%o#i$a% $hi%d to the trust &hri6ant ;a#du &heth Ha%1ai, Pune, on%5
to e%i6inate the fee%in# of partia%it5 8et1een her dau#hter and the adopted ones0 As of
,::< &indhutai &ap'a% has nurtured a8out ,-./ orphaned $hi%dren02/3 Man5 of the
$hi%dren that she adopted are 1e%% edu$ated %a15ers and do$tors, and so6e, in$%udin# her
8io%o#i$a% dau#hter are runnin# their independent orphana#es0 (ne of her $hi%d is doin#
Ph; on her %ife0 Ti%% date she is honoured 85 /=/ a1ards0 &he used a%% that 6one5 to 8u5
%and to 6a'e ho6e for her orphan $hi%dren0 &he has started $onstru$tion and sti%% %oo'in#
for 6ore he%p fro6 the 1or%d0
[edit Operating Organi"ations
&an6ati )a% >i'etan Hadapsar, Pune
Ma6ata )a% &adan, ?u68har4a%an, &as1ad
Mai@s Ashra6 Chi'ha%dara, A6ra4ati
[edit #wards
Tota% /=/ a1ards
/-,- 7 Ahilyabai Holkar Award, #i4en 85 the *o4ern6ent of Maharashtra to
so$ia% 1or'ers in the fie%d of 1o6an and $hi%d 1e%fare 2+3
/--< 7 Woman of the Year Award, #i4en 85 dai%5 6arathi ne1spaper Loksatta
Sahyadri Hirkani Award Marathi! "
Rajai Award Marathi! "
Shivlila Mahila Gourav Award Marathi! "
[edit $egacy
The /-,- 6arathi fi%6 Mee Sindhutai Sapkal is a 8io7pi$ inspired 85 the true stor5 of
&indhutai &ap'a%0 The fi%6 1as se%e$ted for 1or%d pre6iere at the A.th London Fi%6
Festi4a%02.3
[edit References
% Mother of (rphans
% &indhutai7I ha4e ,:: sons7in7%a1
% &indhutai &ap'a% to re$ei4e state a1ard $hi%d 1e%fare
% Mee &indhutai 1i%% ha4e its 1or%d pre6iere at the A.th London Fi%6 Festi4a%
http!BB1110#its.u0$o6B1o6enB1o6enf//0ht6 http!BB1110india7intro0$o6B8%o#Bfan7
6usin#sBA-/76other7of7orphans7sindhu7tai7sap'a%7part7,0ht6%
Mother of orphans
!ersonality& Sindhu Sapkal has helped fulfil the dreams of hundreds of
kids An in!redible a!hievement for a woman who on!e used to be"
She enters the room with an arthritic limp' a crutch under an arm. The hu#e
red 8indi on her 8ro1 $rin'%es as she strains to %o1er herse%f into a $hair,
s6oothin# the fo%ds of her nine75ard sari so t5pi$a% of the attire of rura%
Maharashtra0 )ehind her a doCen $hi%dren troop in, their $hores and #a6es
te6porari%5 for#otten in the eD$ite6ent of a #uest@s arri4a% at &an6ati )a%
>i'etan, a t1o7f%at ho6e for orphans at the Pune su8ur8 Hadapsar0 The5 surround
their Mai0 "I a6 &indhu &ap'a%," Mai announ$es0
Another ti6e, another p%a$e0 The 4oi$e, Euiet%5 $o66andin#, $arries throu#h the
8reeCe a$ross an open 6aidan in &o6urdi, a re6ote 4i%%a#e of Purandhar tehsi% in
Pune0 &indhu is addressin# a $ro1d, the 6en sit hun$hed in front 1hi%e their
1o6en %isten fro6 open door1a5s0 &indhu, A/, Euotes poet7saints Tu'ara6,
>a6deo, )ahina8ai and *ad#e8a8a as she spea's of her $auseF8rin#in# up
destitute $hi%dren at fi4e institutions she has set up in Maharashtra0 &he as's the6
for donations0
The response is i66ediate0 &indhu@s sari pa%%u rapid%5 fi%%s up 1ith $oins and
$urren$5 notes0 The 4i%%a#e sarpan$h pro6ises a Euinta% of ri$e to her ashra6, the
Ma6ata )a% &adan, at ?u68har4a%an, ho6e to =- $hi%dren0 A shop o1ner offers
,- pa$'ets of #%u$ose 8is$uits0
As dus' fa%%s, &indhu pa$'s up for her 6o4e on the 6orro1 to &atara distri$t,
1here a 6eetin# 1ith #ra6se4a's has 8een s$hedu%ed0 ;eepa' *ai'1ad, the first
$hi%d she too' under her 1in# in the ,:<-s, is a$$o6pan5in# her0 In his thirties
no1, ;eepa' has ta'en o4er $har#e of Ma6ata )a% &adan fro6 his Mai0 Mai set
up the sadan on a pie$e of %and ;eepa' inherited fro6 an un$%e0 ;onatin# the
%and, ;eepa' "to%d 6e that had I not ta'en $are of hi6, he 1ou%d ha4e 8een
no1here," sa5s &indhu0 It 1as the se$ond ho6e she 8ui%t0
Mai at work and play& Sindhu with her children at one of her centres( )*elow+ on a fund,
raising dri-e
Li'e ;eepa', 6an5 of the near%5 /-- $hi%dren &indhu has ta'en $are of are no1
#ro1n 6en and 1o6en, 1ho stand on their o1n feet0 A#ain %i'e ;eepa', 6ost of
the6 support their Mai in her 1or'0 Gtta6 Ye4a%e, /=, 1ho #re1 up at Mai@s
ashra6 at Chi'ha%dara at A6ra4ati distri$t, is a $o%%e#e tea$her in Ah6edna#ar0
"&he is %i'e 65 6other0 In fa$t, she is 65 6other," he sa5s0
The da5s he is free fro6 1or', Gtta6 potters around &indhu@s *an#adhar8a8a
Chhatra%a5a at *uha, 1hi$h houses .A $hi%dren0 It is a 8un#a%o1 on ,- a$res a%%
donated 85 for6er )o68a5 Hi#h Court 9ud#e )0*0 ?o%se Pati% in ,::=0 Thou#h
he 1asn@t an orphan, Pati% had #ro1n up in a ho6e for destitutes0 "It is tota%%5
se%f%ess 1or'," he sa5s0 "&he is a %i4in# eDa6p%e of 1hat a 1o6an $an do0"
Pra'ash &ap'a%, /., 1ho #re1 up in the Chi'ha%dara ashra6, heads the
Chhatra%a5a0 The histor5 #raduate too' up the 1or' after fai%in# to #et a
#o4ern6ent 9o80 "Ma58e I 1i%% not #et 6one5, 8ut a%% 65 needs are ta'en $are of,"
he sa5s0 ")esides I a6 proud of $ontri8utin# to Mai@s 1or'0"
.he first one to *e proud of Sindhu Sapkal 1as her father, A8hi6an &athe, an
i%%iterate $o1herd in Pi6pri, 1ho 1as 'een to edu$ate her, 6u$h a#ainst his 1ife@s
1ishes0 &o e4er5 da5 on the preteDt of sendin# her out to #raCe the $att%e, he
1ou%d pa$' her off to the 4i%%a#e s$hoo%0 "There 1as no 6one5 to 8u5 a s%ate,"
re$a%%s &indhu, 1ho 1as then 'no1n as Chindhi8ai0 "I pra$tised the a%pha8et on
thi$', pa%67siCed %ea4es of the 8haradi tree, usin# its thorns to 1rite0"
Marria#e at the a#e of ,- put an end to the fourth standard student@s edu$ation0
The #roo6, &hrihari &ap'a%, a%ias Har8a9i, 1as +-0 "I 1as to%d there are on%5 t1o
pro$essions in a 1o6an@s %ife0 (n$e 1hen she #ets 6arried and the other 1hen
she dies0 I6a#ine 65 state of 6ind 1hen the5 too' 6e in pro$ession to 65
hus8and@s ho6e in >a4ar#aon forest in Hardha," sa5s &indhu0 In $ourse of ti6e,
she 8ore three sons0 Toda5, she fee%s the5 1ere 8orn out of the $oer$i4e
$onsu66ation of her 6arria#e0
&indhu $reated a sensation in >a4ar#aon in ,:=/ 1hen she de6anded that the
forest depart6ent pa5 the 4i%%a#e 1o6en for the $o1 dun# the5 $o%%e$ted0 The
depart6ent used to au$tion the dun# to %and%ords and po$'et the $ash0 "He 1on
the fi#ht," sa5s &indhu0
The taste of su$$ess 1as s1eet, 8ut it 8ro'e up her fa6i%50 &he $%ai6s that an
anno5ed %and%ord, ;a6da9i Asat'ar, spread the ru6our that the $hi%d she 1as
$arr5in# 1as his0 "M5 hus8and de$ided to a8andon 6e," sa5s &indhu0 &he 1as
8eaten up and du6ped in a $o1 shed, 1here her dau#hter, Ma6ata, 1as 8orn0 "It
1as ($to8er ,., ,:=+," &indhu intones0 "I $ut the u68i%i$a% $ord 1ith a sharp7
ed#ed stone %5in# near850"
# day at Mai/s ashrams& )0rom right+ Kids study' pray and play
&he %ater sou#ht she%ter at her parenta% ho6e, 8ut "65 6other to%d 6e to #et %ost0
@*o and die on the rai%1a5 %ine,@ she said0" &indhu 1andered fro6 to1n to to1n,
sin#in# and 8e##in# near te6p%es0 In Fai9pur, Ia%#aon distri$t, she %eft Ma6ata in
the $are of a te6p%e priest@s fa6i%5 1hi%e she 6o4ed around sin#in# 8ha9ans0
"Those 1ere the da5s of sou%7sear$hin#0 I 8e#an fee%in# I 6ust do so6ethin# for
those sufferin# %i'e 6e0"
The idea 1as 9ust ta'in# root 1hen she found herse%f in Chi'ha%dara0 A se$tion of
the Me%#hat 9un#%es on the 8order of Maharashtra and Madh5a Pradesh had 8een
ear6ar'ed for a ti#er pro9e$t0 It 6eant peop%e fro6 <. 4i%%a#es 1ou%d ha4e to 8e
e4a$uated0 "I rea$hed there on a 4er5 dra6ati$ da5," sa5s &indhu0 A pro9e$t offi$er
i6pounded ,+/ $o1s of the Adi4asi 4i%%a#ers of ?oha0 "For three da5s he did not
free the6; one $o1 died0 The Adi4asis stood %oo'in# at their $o1s he%p%ess%50 That
da5 I de$ided to ta'e up their $ause0"
&indhu fou#ht for the reha8i%itation of the <. 4i%%a#es0 In the $ourse of her
a#itation, she 6et Chhedi%a% *upta, the then 6inister of forests0 He a#reed that the
4i%%a#ers ou#ht not to 8e disp%a$ed 8efore the #o4ern6ent had 6ade appropriate
arran#e6ents at a%ternati4e sites0 Hhen Pri6e Minister Indira *andhi arri4ed to
inau#urate the ti#er pro9e$t, &indhu sho1ed her photo#raphs of an Adi4asi 1ho
had %ost his e5es to a 1i%d 8ear0 "I to%d her that the forest depart6ent paid
$o6pensation if a $o1 or a hen 1as 'i%%ed 85 a 1i%d ani6a%, so 1h5 not a hu6an
8ein#J &he i66ediate%5 ordered $o6pensation0"
That 6ade peop%e %oo' upon her 1ith ad6iration0 &oon she rea%ised the p%i#ht of
orphaned and a8andoned Adi4asi $hi%dren0 Initia%%5, %oo'in# after the6 1as a
sour$e of %i4e%ihood0 It didn@t ta'e %on# for it to 8e$o6e the 6ission of her %ife0
)e#innin# 1ith her first ashra6 at Chi'ha%dara, 1hi$h she sa5s 1as "a $reation of
ne$essit5", she 1ent on to set up fi4e ho6es, her 1or' ta'in# on a 6o6entu6 of
its o1n0 A8hi6an )a% )ha4an in Hardha distri$t, for instan$e, $a6e a8out 1hen
in re$o#nition of her 1or', her hus8and@s re%ati4es in Hardha fe%i$itated her0
A ho6e for destitute 1o6en, the >adar6ai Mahi%a Adhar ?endra, fun$tions out
of the sa6e 8ui%din# that houses orphans at Chi'ha%dara0 Her ho6es sur4i4e on
donations and #rants, and she una8ashed%5 8e#s 4i%%a#e after 4i%%a#e to put
1hate4er the5 $an into a $%oth she spreads out on a ta8%e after her spee$h0
At the ?ranti95ot &a4itri8ai Phu%e Hoste% for #ir%s at Chi'ha%dara, ./ of the A-
in6ates re$ei4e a #rant of Rs ++A a 6onth0 "He 8ear the other #ir%s@ eDpenses,"
sa5s &indhu@s son Arun &ap'a%, 1ho heads the institution and is a $o7opted )IP
6uni$ipa% $oun$i%%or0 Hith 6one5 fro6 Arun@s $urio 8usiness and 6one5 sent 85
&indhu, the in6ates #et 850
Oh 1od' teach us how to laugh( 8ut %et us not for#et that 1e had a%so $ried on$e
upon a ti6e0@ The 1ords are et$hed on the 1a%% 8ehind &indhu@s $hair at the
&an6ati )a% >i'etan0
For Mai@s $hi%dren, the sorro1 of 8ein# a8andoned or orphaned #radua%%5 fades
fro6 6e6or5 as the5 fo%%o1 the ho6e@s re#i6en0 The $hi%dren are di4ided into
8at$hes 1hi$h a%ternate%5 stud5, 1or' and p%a50 At the ?u68har4a%an Ashra6, if
one #roup is in the $%assroo6, another 1i%% 8e tendin# the to6atoes and $hi%%ies in
the #ardens0 At the *an#adhar8a8a ashra6, the 'ids e4en #ro1 1heat0
2e grow our own -egeta*les& Mai and her
children in the fields
The 8o5s and #ir%s are se#re#ated after the <th standard0 Hhi%e the 8o5s #o to
*an#adhar8a8a ashra6, the #ir%s are sent to the #ir%s@ hoste% at Chi'ha%dara0 There
are eD$eptions0 Vish1as Chapha%e, ,., sta5ed on at the ?u68har4a%an ashra6 to
he%p %oo' after the s6a%% $hi%dren, 1ho run to hi6 to #et their $uts and 8ruises
8anda#ed0 For a 8o5 1ho 1ants to 8e$o6e a do$tor, he is startin# 5oun#0
Kuite a fe1 peop%e opt to %i4e and 1or' for Mai0 )a8asahe8 ;ushin#, +A, %eft his
9o8 as a hote% 1at$h6an in ,::=0 After his 1ife@s death he had sent his $hi%dren to
&indhu0 ")ut then I rea%ised I $ou%d not sta5 a1a5 fro6 the6," he sa5s0 "&o I
as'ed &indhutai if I $ou%d $o6e here0" E4er sin$e, ;ushin# has 8een 1or'in# at
the ?u68har4a%an ashra60
&o6e of the destitute 1o6en 1ho %and up at Mahi%a Aadhar ?endra are sent as
#ruha6ata 6other of the house" to the $hi%dren@s ho6es0 ?a4ita *a4and and
La%ita Ma#ar are #ruha6atas at the Chhatra%a5a at *uha0 Hhi%e La%ita is a 1ido1,
?a4ita 1a%'ed out on her a%$oho%i$ and a8usi4e hus8and0 Their $hi%dren do not
sta5 1ith the6, 8ut at the ashra6s in ?u68har4a%an and Hadapsar0 "It 1as a
de%i8erate de$ision to 'eep the $hi%dren a1a5," sa5s ;eepa' *ai'1ad0 "Most of
our $hi%dren are either orphans or a8andoned0 Hhat 1i%% the5 fee% if so6e $hi%dren
8e#an sta5in# 1ith their 6othersJ" Va$ation ti6e, ho1e4er, reunites the 'ids 1ith
their 6others0
A%thou#h the $hi%dren are not #i4en in adoption, there ha4e 8een $ases 1here
$oup%es $o6e for1ard to sponsor the60 Gda5sinh Mohite Pati% and his 1ife,
&1a56pra8hade4i, ha4e underta'en the responsi8i%it5 of edu$atin# Pa1an, 1ho
%i4es 1ith the6 in A'%u9, &o%apur distri$t0 "M5 1ife had or#anised one of
&indhutai@s fun$tions in our 4i%%a#e so6e fi4e 5ears a#o," sa5s Pati%0 After
&indhu@s ta%', &1a56pra8hade4i de$ided that the5 1ou%d $ontri8ute 85
sponsorin# a $hi%d@s edu$ation0 "He studies here and #oes to &indhutai durin#
4a$ation," sa5s Pati%0 The $oup%e ha4e de$ided to sponsor another $hi%d as soon as
Pa1an $o6p%etes his studies0
&indhu@s 1or' has 1on her .< a1ards, the 6ost pro6inent 8ein# the Maharashtra
#o4ern6ent@s &a4itri8ai Phu%e a1ard in ,::<0 It attra$ted so6e $ontro4ers5, too0
Criti$s $%ai6 that &indhu %o88ied for the a1ard and 1as fina%%5 no6inated fro6
)u%dana distri$t, 1here she does not e4en ha4e an ashra60 &indhu pooh7poohs the
$har#e0 "Had I %o88ied, I 1ou%d not ha4e ar#ued 1ith the6 at the a1ard $ere6on5
a8out the pa%tr5 su6 of Rs A,--- the5 1ere #i4in#," she ar#ues0 "I 1ou%d ha4e
8een o8%i#ed to a$$ept 1hate4er the5 #a4e 6e and 'eep 65 6outh shut0" &indhu@s
$reatin# a s$ene, ho1e4er, 1or'ed as the then deput5 $hief 6inister *opinath
Munde raised the a6ount to Rs ,,,---0 "As re#ards )u%dana distri$t, e4en toda5 I
do not 'no1 ho1 the #o4ern6ent put 6e there," she sa5s0 "I ne4er $%ai6ed that I
1or'ed there0"
Ho1e4er, no a6ount of $ontro4ers5 $an detra$t fro6 the a$hie4e6ents of a
1o6an 1ho at one ti6e %i4ed on a%6s0 &o inspirin# has her %ife 8een that the
?arnata'a #o4ern6ent in$%uded a $hapter fro6 her auto8io#raph5 Mee Van4asi,
re%eased in ,:<<, in its Marathi teDt8oo' for ,-th standard students0
Toda5 &indhu proud%5 states that she has +L dau#hters7in7%a1 and ,== sons7in7
%a10 Most of her $hi%dren are 1e%% p%a$ed in %ife0 &ha6 Randi4e is a %e$turer in
histor5 at Mhas4ad in &atara distri$t0 &ee6a ?o'are is an A5ur4edi$ do$tor and
sett%ed in Auran#a8ad0 The %ist #oes on0 )ut at A/, &indhu sa5s she sti%% has p%ent5
6ore to a$$o6p%ish0 "Let 6e te%% 5ou I a6 not ;e4a'i 1ho #a4e 8irth to Lord
?rishna, I a6 9ust tr5in# to 8e a perfe$t Yashoda0"
3nter-iew4Sindhu Sapkal
Hun#er 6ade 6e spea'
5ow did you *egin social work6
I first 1ent to Chi'ha%dara 8e##in# for 8ha'ri 8a9ra roti" in ,:=A0 Gna8%e to feed
65se%f and 65 t1o75ear7o%d dau#hter, I had a%6ost de$ided to $o66it sui$ide0 I
1as standin# under a tree 1hen sudden%5 its ste6 $au#ht 65 attention; I noti$ed
that it had 8een 8ad%5 aDed, 8ut it 1as sti%% #i4in# 6e shade0 I a%6ost s$rea6ed,
@>o I 1i%% not die@0 I de$ided to ta'e $are of the orphaned $hi%dren of Adi4asis0 It is
$o66on a6on# the6 for a 6an to desert his 1ife for another 1o6an; the 1o6an
then re6arries, so6eti6es a8andonin# the $hi%dren0 Initia%%5 I too' $are of the
$hi%dren in return for so6e 'ut'i 2a 'ind of ri$e3, da% and 8utter6i%'0
7ou speak so well at pu*lic meetings.
Hhen I used to 8e# at rai%1a5 stations, initia%%5 I 1ou%d on%5 sin#0 Later I thou#ht
if I started spea'in# I $ou%d earn 6ore0 I used to 8e so hun#r50 M5 hun#er tau#ht
6e to spea' and the pain 1ithin 6e tau#ht 6e to sin#0
2ho are your idols6
I dra1 inspiration fro6 saints %i'e &ant *ad#e8a8a, Rashtra &ant Tu'do9i Mahara9
and )ahina8ai Chaudhari0 A6on# the #ods, I %i'e Lord ?rishna0 I don@t %i'e Ra6,
I ha4e an on#oin# feud 1ith hi6 8e$ause he deserted &ita0 I a%so %i'e Veer
&a4ar'ar0
5a-e any children run away from your ashrams6
Fortunate%5 not0 E4en 1hen I $on4in$ed peop%e to adopt 65 $hi%dren, the5 did not
sta5 1ith the6, 8e$ause the5 $a%% 6e Mai and 'no1 that a 6other $annot 8e
rep%a$ed0 The $hi%dren ha4e 8een 4er5 $ooperati4e0 Hhene4er I 8rou#ht ho6e
ne1 'ids, I to%d the others the5 6i#ht ha4e to drin' da% instead of eatin# it, sin$e it
1ou%d 8e 6ore di%uted0 )ut the5 ne4er $o6p%ained0 Man5 $hi%dren are 6arried
no10 Toda5 I $an proud%5 sa5 I ha4e +L dau#hters7in7%a1 and ,== sons7in7%a10 I
ha4e a%1a5s 8een 6ore prote$ti4e of #ir%s0
2ould you like to return to your hus*and6
I $annot 8e a 1ife a#ain0 )ut if 65 hus8and $o6es to 6e as a $hi%d, I 1i%% ser4e
hi60 I a6 not an#r5 1ith hi6, he 1as not edu$ated, it is not his fau%t0 Had 65
hus8and not a8andoned 6e, a%% this 1or' 1ou%d not ha4e happened0
Pi$'in# ho%es in &indhu@s ta%e
Sindhu Sapkal/s 89,year,old hus*and' Shrihari' today li-es in Malegaon The'a
4i%%a#e in Hardha0 &ti%% a $o1herd 1ho periodi$a%%5 #oes into the 9un#%e, he and
sons A6rut, Arun and &an9a5 %eft >a4ar#aon forest t1o 5ears after &indhu@s
departure0 "Apart fro6 pett5 6arita% differen$es 1hi$h are there 8et1een e4er5
hus8and and 1ife, there 1as no dispute 8et1een us," sa5s the 1rin'%ed o%d 6an
1ho &indhu $%ai6s thre1 her out of the house in ,:=+0
&hrihari has a different 4ersion0 "It 1as a da5 of #reat e68arrass6ent for 6e 1hen
she %eft ho6e," he sa5s0 "M5 $o66unit5 as'ed 6e to 6arr5 a#ain, 8ut I refused as
I had de$ided to %oo' after the $hi%dren0"
He $an s$ar$e%5 $onne$t &indhu the so$ia% 1or'er 1ith the 1o6an 1ho 1as on$e
his 1ife0 "&he 1as so si6p%e," he sa5s0 "&he has done so 6u$h for others, 8ut $ou%d
not pro4ide us 1ith a proper she%ter," sa5s &hrihari0 "Iust %ast 5ear, I $onstru$ted
this house0 I ne4er thou#ht of #oin# to her0"
&hrihari sa5s &indhu fe%% out 1ith %o$a% %and%ord ;a6da9i Asat'ar o4er a pie$e of
%and0 ")ut he did not harass her0" Asat'ar@s son Vinod, 1ho %i4es in >a4ar#aon,
e%a8orates! "Her father ori#ina%%5 8e%on#ed to our 4i%%a#e, and used to ti%% the forest
%and0 )ut after he shifted to Pi6pri, the forest authorities #a4e us the %and0 And
1hen &indhutai $a6e here after her 6arria#e, she de6anded the %and 8a$'0"
Ho1e4er, 9ust %i'e the other 4i%%a#ers, Vinod a%so ad6ires &indhu, and fee%s
inde8ted to her and her $o1 dun# a#itation0 >ana9i *hode, deput5 sarpan$h of
>a4ar#aon, sa5s! "Toda5 4i%%a#ers #et Rs ,,--- per tru$' 2of $o1 dun#30 He o1e it
to her0"
&he is their 6other %i'e she is 6ine
Born in a cow shed in 2ardha' Mamata Sapkal studied in three schools in
three different distri$ts of Maharashtra in the first fi4e 5ears of her s$hoo%in#, and
$o6p%eted her #raduation $ourtes5 a te6p%e trust in Pune, 8efore optin# to ta'e a
6aster@s in so$ia% 1or'0
# *ond like no other& Mamata with her mother
As &indhutai@s fourth $hi%d, she shared her 6other@s tria%s and sorro1s fro6 the
da5 she 1as 8orn, and is toda5 in $har#e of the &an6ati )a% >i'etan in Hadapsar
near Pune0 Gn%i'e her 6other, she prefers operatin# 8ehind the s$enes, %iaisin#
1ith the #o4ern6ent and indi4idua%s for donations0 Here she spea's a8out %ife
1ith her Mai0
As a $hi%d, I 1asn@t fortunate enou#h to sta5 1ith 65 6other0 I re6e68er the
hardships she fa$ed to #et 6e ad6itted to the &e4a &adan Hi#h &$hoo% in Pune,
the 1a5 she 1as treated in a house 1here 1e happened to sta5 for a fe1 da5s, the
tears that ro%%ed do1n her fa$e ti6e and a#ain, the first ti6e she #a4e 6e t1o
rupees to 8u5 s1eets 1hen I 1as appearin# for 65 H0&$ eDa6inations, the
s%eep%ess ni#hts she spent 1hen I had sur#er5 for appendi$itis0 These are i6a#es
fro6 the past 1hi$h instant%5 $o6e to 65 6ind 1hen I thin' of her0 )ut the
pi$ture 1i%% not 8e $o6p%ete 1ithout orphans and destitute $hi%dren she has
8rou#ht up0 Li'e 6e, the5 too 8e%on# to her and she is their 6other %i'e she is
6ine0
)ut /A 5ears a#o the situation 1as different0 &he 1as a%% a%one, 8e##in# on the
streets 1ith her $hi%d0 &he had no she%ter, no food, and had to prote$t herse%f fro6
the %ust and $rue%t5 of so$iet50 Ho1 she sur4i4edM
M5 friends in $o%%e#e a%1a5s $a%%ed her @Mai@0 I re6e68er as'in# her on$e if she
e4er fe%t %i'e stud5in#, ha4in# %ots of friends and so6eone to $onfide in0 &he
%istened to 6e Euiet%5 and then said sudden%5! "Ma6ata, if 5ou are ta%'in# a8out
the fee%in#s and e6otions 1hi$h one eDperien$es as a 5outh, I do not e4en 'no1
1hen it 1as a%% o4er for 6e0 If 5ou are ta%'in# 9ust a8out edu$ation, I a6 fu%fi%%in#
65 desire to stud5 throu#h 5ou, and in 5ou, I ha4e so6eone to $onfide in0" That
1as the 6o6ent 1hen I fe%t I had #ro1n up0 &in$e that da5 our friendship has
8een #ainin# stren#th da5 85 da50
In ,::-, 6other 1as in hospita%, 1hen father $a6e to see her0 There 1ere three
peop%e standin# in front of 6e and I did not 'no1 1hi$h one 1as 65 father0 Then
6other to%d 6e he 1as the 6an on the ri#ht0 He spo'e to 6e, as'ed 6e to $o6e to
Hardha, 8ut added hasti%5 that if I did I shou%d sa5 that I had $o6e on 65 o1n
and that he had not in4ited 6e0 I 9ust didn@t fee% an5thin#0
Mother@s a8i%it5 to 1or' is 9ust a6aCin#0 &he $an 1or' tire%ess%5 for <7,- da5s at a
stret$h0 There ha4e 8een ti6es 1hen she has tra4e%%ed throu#hout the fortni#ht,
$o6e ho6e for a 1hi%e and then set out a#ain0 &he is e4er 1i%%in# to respond to a
p%ea for he%p fro6 an orphan or a destitute0 Hhene4er I as' her to ta'e so6e rest,
she refuses, sa5in# she $annot afford to ti%% e4er5 institution she started 8e$o6es
se%f7suffi$ient0
&o6eti6es I for$e her to ta'e rest, treat her to her fa4ourite 8ain#an 8harta and
8ha'ri 8a9ra roti"0 &he has 8een a 6other to so 6an5 of us0 >o1 I 1ant her to
ta'e rest and a%%o1 6e to 8e her 6other for a 1hi%e0