SINDHUTAI SAPKAL
Introduction: Sindhutai Sapkal, affectionately called “Mai” (Mother), was a remarkable Indian social worker and activist remembered for her extraordinary compassion. Her life was a journey from hardship and rejection to becoming the mother of over a thousand orphaned children. She proved that true motherhood lies not in giving birth but in giving love, care, and dignity to those who have none.
Early Life and Struggles: Sindhutai was born on 14 November 1948 in Wardha, Maharashtra, into a poor family. Considered an unwanted child, she was nicknamed “Chindhi” (torn piece of cloth). Her father supported her education, but due to family pressure, she was married at the tender age of 12 to a man twice her age.
By 20, she was the mother of three children and pregnant with her fourth when her husband abandoned her. Thrown out of her home, she gave birth to her daughter alone in a cowshed, cutting the umbilical cord with a sharp stone.
Homeless and destitute, Sindhutai survived by begging at railway stations and streets. During this painful period, she witnessed the suffering of countless orphaned and abandoned children. This experience awakened a lifelong mission in her heart: to become a mother to all those who had no one.
In an extraordinary act of fairness, she entrusted her biological daughter to a trust, ensuring she could treat all orphaned children equally without bias.
A Life of Social Service: Sindhutai began by taking in abandoned children she met on the streets and providing them food and shelter. Over time, her family of children grew. With sheer determination, courage, and community support, she went on to establish several orphanages and organisations across Maharashtra, including:
● Sanmati Bal Niketan Sanstha (Hadapsar, Pune): An orphanage with facilities for children.
● Punarutthan Samarasata Gurukulam (Chinchwad): For the upliftment of the Pardhi community and their children.
● Saptasindhu Mahila Adhar, Balsangopan Aani Shikshan Sanstha: For the welfare of poor and underprivileged women and children.
Through her tireless efforts, she nurtured and raised more than 1,500 orphaned children, many of whom went on to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, and social workers. Her children lovingly called her Mai, and as they grew up, her family expanded to include hundreds of sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, creating a vast extended family.
Awards and Recognition: Sindhutai’s selfless service earned her immense recognition. She received over 750 awards, the prize money from which she invested in building and running her orphanages. Some of her most prestigious honors include:
● Padma Shri (2021) – for her outstanding work in social service.
● Nari Shakti Puraskar (2017) – India’s highest civilian award for women.
● Mother Teresa Awards for Social Justice (2013).
● Ahilyabai Holkar Award (2010) – from the Government of Maharashtra.
● Honorary Doctorate – from Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Pune.
Her inspiring journey was also depicted in the Marathi biopic “Mee Sindhutai Sapkal” (2010), which brought her life story to a wider audience.
Legacy: Sindhutai Sapkal passed away on 4 January 2022, but her legacy lives on through the thousands of lives she transformed. She turned her pain into purpose and her struggles into strength, showing the world the true meaning of motherhood and humanity.
Conclusion: Sindhutai Sapkal’s life is a timeless reminder that greatness does not lie in power or wealth, but in compassion and service to others. From being an unwanted child herself to becoming the Mother of Orphans, she proved that one individual, with courage and love, can change the destiny of thousands.
Her story inspires us to look beyond ourselves, extend a hand to the needy, and spread kindness wherever possible.
