Social activist and Padma Shri awardee Sindhutai Sapkal, known as the mother of orphans, has passed away. He has said goodbye to this world on Tuesday at the age of 73. Sindhu Sapkal was always called as Sindhutai or Mother. He devoted his entire life to the care of orphan children. She has also taken care of more than 1400 orphan children. He has been awarded Padma Shri by the Government of India for his outstanding social service. Sindhutai Sapkal was affectionately called 'mother of orphans' by people. Sindhutai was suffering from septicemia and was being treated at Galaxy Hospital in Pune for the past one and a half months. He has also been awarded Padma Shri last year. He breathed his last at 8.30 pm on Tuesday. Today the last rites are going to be performed in Pune with full state honors.
Such was the life of Sindhutai: Sindhutai was born in a poor family in Wardha, Maharashtra and had to face discrimination for a long time due to being a daughter. Sindhutai's life began as a child who was not needed by anyone. Sindhutai's mother was always against her going to school. Although her father wanted the daughter to study and move forward. So, when she was 12 years old, she was married off. Her husband was about 20 years older than her. Sindhutai was abused by her husband and used to beat her. He left them when she was 9 months pregnant. She had to give birth to her baby girl in a cowshed. She tells that she had cut her cord with her own hand.
Then whatever child was found orphaned, Sindhutai used to adopt it: The torture of Sindhutai shook her to the core. He even thought of committing suicide, but later had to live with his daughter by begging on the railway platform. In the meantime, she came in contact with many such children who had none. He saw his sorrow in those children and started adopting all of them. She also started begging for these children with her. After which the process went on and whatever child they got orphaned child, she would adopt him and get him to take care of him till his studies. Sindhu Tai begged on trains and on the streets to feed orphans.
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Sindhutai, mother of orphan children, said goodbye to the world