Poornima Arvind Pakvasa

Poornima Arvind Pakvasa (5 October 1913 – 25 April 2016), known as the Didi of Dangs, was an Indian social worker from Gujarat. She was the daughter in-law of Mangaldas Pakvasa and the mother of dancer Sonal Mansingh.

Social activism

At the age of 18, she participated in her first freedom protest, the Dandi March in Saurashtra, during which she was arrested. Her inmate in jail was Kasturba Gandhi. Pakvasa taught her how to read and write English. Mahatma Gandhi was appreciative of this act and gave her his blessings to continue on the path of education. In 1956 she started "Shaktidal", an institution for the cultural, physical and spiritual education of women. Later in 1969, it was transformed into Ritambhara Vishva Vidyapeeth and extended its activities into a full-fledged residential school and college at Saputara. In 2004 she was awarded the Padma Bhushan award for her services to the society.[1] She turned 100 in October 2013[2] and died on 25 April 2016 at the age of 102.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Dang’s Didi Poornimaben Pakvasa completes 100 years of life". DeshGujarat. 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  3. ↑ http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/freedom-fighter-didi-of-dangs-dies-at-103-in-surat-2771986/


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