Sindhu Shrihari Sapkal (14 November 1948 – 4 January 2022) (), affectionately called Sindhutai, was an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for her work in raising orphaned children in India. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 and many other awards in the Social Work category.

Early life Sapkal was born on 14 November 1948, in Pipri Meghe in Wardha district in the then Central Provinces and Berar of Dominion of India to Abhimanyu Sathe, a cowherder. Being an unwanted child, she was referred to as Chindhi (Marathi for "piece of rag"). Abject poverty, family responsibilities and childhood marriage to an older man forced her to quit formal education after she successfully passed her fourth standard. Sapkal was married off at age 12 to Shrihari Sapkal, who was 20 years older than her, and moved to Nawargaon, Seloo in Wardha. The marriage did not last long and at the age of 20, she was violently forced out of her home by her husband, leaving her on her own to care for a daughter.

Early work with Adivasis Sindhutai Sapkal later found herself in Chikhaldara, where she started begging for food. In the process, she realised that there were many children abandoned by their parents and she adopted them as her own. She had to beg even harder to feed the ever larger family. She decided to become a mother to everyone who came across to her as an orphan. She later gave away her own daughter to the Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Halwai trust of Pune, to eliminate the feeling of partiality between her own child and the adopted children.

Details of Sapkal's struggle were provided in the weekly Optimist Citizen on 18 May 2016:

Sapkal fought for the rehabilitation of eighty-four villages. In the course of her agitation, she met Chhedilal Gupta, the then Minister of Forests. He agreed that the villagers should not be displaced before the government had made appropriate arrangements at alternative sites. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi arrived to inaugurate the tiger project, Sapkal showed her photographs of an Adivasi who had lost his eyes to a wild bear. She is quoted as saying, "I told her that the forest department paid compensation if a cow or a hen was killed by a wild animal, so why not a human being? She immediately ordered compensation."

After being informed of the plight of orphaned and abandoned Adivasi children, Sapkal took care of the children in return for meager amounts of food. Shortly thereafter, it became the mission of her life.

Orphanages Sapkal devoted herself to orphans. As a result, she was fondly called "Mai", which means "mother". She nurtured over 1,500 orphaned children and through them had a grand family of 382 sons-in-law and 49 daughters-in-law. She has been honoured with more than 700 awards for her work. She used award money to buy land to make a home for orphaned children.

Organisations Mother Global Foundation, Pune Sanmati Bal Niketan, Bhelhekar Vasti, Manjri, Hadapsar, Pune - Dedicated to provide essential support to underprivileged children. Mamata Bal Sadan, Kumbharvalan near Saswad, Purandar taluka (started in 1994) Savitribai Phule Mulinche Vasatigruh (Girls' Hostel) Chikhaldara, Amravati Abhiman Bal Bhavan, Wardha Gangadharbaba Chhatralaya, Guha Shirdi Saptsindhu' Mahila Adhar, Balsangopan Aani Shikshan Sanstha, Pune Shree Manshanti Chatralaya, Shirur Vanvasi Gopal Krishna Bahuuddeshiya Mandal Amaravati

Death She died of a heart attack in Pune, Maharashtra, on 4 January 2022, at the age of 73.

Awards

2021 - Global International Women's Day Award by JKYog 2021 - Padma Shri in the Social Work category 2017 – Nari Shakti Puraskar from the President Of India 2016 – Honorary doctorate by the Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Engineering, Pune 2016 – Social Worker of the Year award from Wockhardt Foundation 2014 – Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize 2013 – Mother Teresa Awards for Social Justice 2013 – The National Award for Iconic Mother 2012 – Real Heroes Awards, given by CNN-IBN and Reliance Foundation 2012 – COEP Gaurav Puraskar, given by College of Engineering, Pune 2010 – Ahilyabai Holkar Award, given by the Government of Maharashtra to social workers in the field of women and child welfare 2008 – Women of the Year Award, given by daily Marathi newspaper Loksatta 1996 – Dattak Mata Purskar, given by Non Profit Organization Sunita Kalaniketan Trust

Sahyadri Hirkani Award () Rajai Award () Shivleela Mahila Gaurav Award ()

In popular culture

Mee Sindhutai Sapkal, a 2010 Indian Marathi-language biographical film directed by Anant Mahadevan and starring Tejaswini Pandit as Sakpal. The film was selected for world premiere at the 54th London Film Festival.

Sindhutai Maazi Maai, a television serial aired on Colors Marathi from 2023 to 2024, where Shivani Sonar played Sakpal.

References