- By Neelam Karale

At the age of 18, she met Mahatma Gandhi at the Aga Khan Palace, a meeting that profoundly influenced her life.

Shobhana Ranade, a senior Gandhian activist and social worker known for her work with destitute women and children, passed away at the age of 99 on Sunday, August 5, 2024 due to old age. In recognition of her social work, the Government of India honored her with the Padma Bhushan award in 2011.

Shobhana Ranade was born on October 26, 1924, in Pune. At the age of 18, she met Mahatma Gandhi at the Aga Khan Palace, a meeting that profoundly influenced her life. Inspired by Gandhi's ideals, she dedicated her life to the service of the underprivileged, especially women and children.

Ranade's life was dedicated to the welfare of destitute women and children. In 1955, she participated in a foot march with Vinoba Bhave in North Lakhimpur, Assam.

She played a crucial role in establishing the first child welfare center at Maitreyi Ashram and Shishu Niketan. To empower Naga women, she started a program through the Adim Jati Seva Sangh to teach them spinning on the charkha.

Upon returning to Pune in 1979, she helped establish the Gandhi National Memorial Society and a training institute at the Aga Khan Palace. Under her leadership, the Kasturba Mahila Khadi Gramodyog Vidyalaya was founded in 1998 to provide vocational training to destitute women. She also initiated the Balgram and Balsadan child welfare projects in Saswad, Pune.

Ranade was actively involved in the Ganga Bachao Abhiyan, a movement to save the Ganga River from pollution.

Ranade's contributions to society were widely recognized, earning her numerous prestigeous awards like Padma Bhushan, Jamnalal Bajaj Award, Rabindranath Tagore Award, Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award, Pride of Pune Award, National Award for Child Welfare and Mahatma Gandhi Award.

Shobhana Ranade's life and work remain an inspiration, reflecting her unwavering commitment to Gandhian principles and her tireless efforts for social welfare.

Courtesy: The Bridge Chronicle, dt. 04.08.2024