Sindhutai Sapkal is an Indian social worker who works in the welfare of thousands of orphaned children. She has received over 270 national and international awards, including the Nari Shakti Award from the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. She died of cardiac arrest on January 4, 2022, in Pune, Maharashtra.
Wiki/Biography
Sindhutai Sapkal was born on Sunday, November 14, 1948 (aged 73 years; died) in the village of Pimpri Meghe, Wardha, Central Provinces and Berar, Rajya Sabha (present-day Maharashtra, India). Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She grew up in a poor family and was forced to live in poverty and take on family responsibilities. She was married when she was ten years younger, and married by someone who was 20 years older than her. At that time, she was in fourth standard. During her studies, she wrote on Bharadi leaves because her family could not afford slates. There was conflict between her parents over her studies. Her mother did not want her to study, but her father was eager to educate her. So her father was overwhelmed and her mother, who thought she had gone to herd cattle. After her marriage, she moved to Nawargaon Village, Seloo, Wardha, where her husband always used to harass her. When she was 20 years old, she was abandoned by her husband. At that time, she was pregnant. Then, she gave birth to a baby girl. She recalled in an interview,
“I cut the umbilical cord with a sharp stone.”
She had contemplated suicide when her mother would not allow her into the house. She then started begging on the streets and railway platforms of Chikhaldara in Amravati district of Maharashtra. She also feared for her daughter’s safety and took shelter in a cemetery and cowshed. At that time, she saw many orphans lying on the street and begging on the railway platform. Then she adopted them and begged to feed them more rigorously. This became her life’s mission. To remove the feeling of prejudice between her biological daughter and her adopted child, she donated her child to Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Halwai, Pune (Maharashtra) Laban)’s trust. Her daughter herself runs an orphanage in Maharashtra. She told in an interview
“I had no one with me and everyone abandoned me. I know a lot of people and unnecessary pain. I don’t want anyone to go through the same thing. Seeing some of my kids excel in life makes me So proud and honored that one of my children made a documentary about my life.”
Appearance
Height (approximately): 5’3”
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye color: dark brown
family
parents and siblings
Her father’s name is Abhimanyu Sathe and he is a cattle herder. There is not much information about her mother and siblings.
husband and children
Sindhutai Sapkal married Shrihari Sapkal when he was ten years old. The couple has a daughter, their name is Mamta Sapkal.
Daughter of Sapka, Sindh
She also adopted a son named Deepak Gaekwad.
Deepak Gaikwad
religion
Sindhi Sapkal follows Hindu religion.
work for adivasi
When she was in Chikhaldara, the town was undergoing a tiger conservation project that resulted in the evacuation of 84 tribal villages. Sindhthai decided to fight the evacuation and bring the villagers back to their homeland. During that course, she met the then Forest Minister Chhedilal Gupta. Chhedilal agreed that he would not displace the villagers until alternative land was provided to them.
work for orphans
She established her first ashram in 1970 at Chikaldara in Amravati. She then ran an orphanage called Sanmati Bal Niketan Santha in Hadapas area of Pune. She has many other social organizations in Maharashtra.
Sapkal and Orphans in Sindh
awards, honors, achievements
- Shivlila Mahila Gaurav Award
- 1996 – Dattak Mata Purskar presented by the non-profit organization Sunita Kalaniketan Trust
- 2008 – Woman of the Year Award from Daily Marathi Newspaper (Loksatta)
- 2010 – Ahilyabai Holkar Award by the Government of Maharashtra to Social Workers in the Field of Women and Child Welfare
- 2012- COEP Gaurav Puraskar given by Pune College of Engineering
- 2012 – Real Hero Award presented by CNN-IBN and Reliance Foundation
- 2013 – National Iconic Mother Award
- 2013 – Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice
- 2014 – Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize
- 2016 – Wockhardt Foundation Social Worker of the Year Award
- 2016 – Honorary Doctorate from Dr. Dy Patil College of Engineering, Pune
- 2017 – Nari Shakti Puraskar for President of India
Sindhutai Sapkal received Nari Shakti Puruskar from Indian President Ram Nath Kovind in 2017
- 2021- Government of India in Social Work Category 2021
die
Sindhutai Sapkal died of cardiac arrest at Galaxy Care Hospital in Pune, Maharashtra at 8:10 pm on January 4, 2022.
Facts/Trivia
- When she was abandoned by her husband, she remained exploited by rural women who deprived the forest department of collecting cow dung.
- While she was at the cemetery, she saw a body burning. After the last rites of the body, some wheat flour was left behind. She gathered the flour and kneaded it. She then cooked a roast over the fire where the body was consumed.
- When she was 70, her husband approached her and said he was ready to accept her. But at that time, Sindhutai told her that she was also ready to accept him but as a son as she was just a mother now. She would only accept him as her eldest son!
- On November 24, 2021, she underwent large diaphragmatragmatic hernia surgery. A few days after the surgery, she developed a lung infection and breathed her last on January 4, 2021.
“Sindhutai Sapkal will be remembered for her noble service to society. Due to her efforts, many children can live a better quality of life. She also did a lot in marginalized communities Work. Condolences to her family and admirers on her loss.”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said,
“The news of Sindhi’s death is shocking. She gave mother care to thousands of orphans. In her sudden death, her inspirational character has been taken away from the field of social work.” NCP chief Sharad Pawar Sharad Pawar: “The kind of social work done by Sindhutai will inspire future generations.” Former CM Ashok Chavan said: “Sindthai faced a difficult life herself, but she worked tirelessly to improve the lives of orphaned and abandoned children. Her life was an inspiration to millions.”
- On October 30, 2010, a Marathi film based on the life of Sindhutai Sapkal was released titled “Mee Sindhutai Sapkal”. In the movie, Tejaswini Pandit played the role of Sindhutai Sapkal. After Sindhutai’s death, the actress said
“I tried to live with her death…she was Sabki Maye…a Farishta (angel)…”
Mee Sindhutai Sapkal movie poster
- Based on her life, an author named DB Mahajan published an autobiography titled “Aamchi Mai” on January 1, 2015.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education