Thousand full moon: Shrimati, Nirmala Dattatray Mainkar, 94+
Contributed by: Ajita Athley
Nirmala Mainkar, née Ambu Ganesh Kher was born in 1926 in a village near Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India. She comes from a progressive family and was raised in an environment of patriotism and selfless service. She credits her good upbringing to the good sanskaars (value inculcation) she received in her childhood. In her written and video narration, she recounts the open and free environment in her father’s house. During those times, girls were required to follow different and more restrictive rules as compared to boys. However, Nirmala says her upbringing was not restrictive at all. She would play freely among other children and received good education. She fondly remembers her bicycle her father had bought for her and the badminton court he specially got drawn for the children. She went to college upon her father’s insistence.
She mentions stalwarts like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a great thinker, writer, and a freedom fighter and Dhodopant Karve, a social activist and a proponent of women’s education. She specially recounts the honoring ceremony of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar--an esteemed freedom fighter that took place at her father’s house, after Veer Savarkar’s house arrest imposed by the British rule was lifted.
Nirmala is happy where her life has brought her and is content with the wellbeing of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
We wish Nirmala continued peace and joy on her journey ahead!
