Shalini Moghe

Shalini Moghe
Born	13 March 1914(1914-03-13) Indore,Madhya Pradesh,India
Died	30 June 2011(2011-07-01)(aged 97) Indore,Madhya Pradesh,India
Resting place	Rambagh Muktidham, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India 22°43′34″N75°51′33″E
Other names	Shalini Tai
Occupation(s)	Educationist, social worker
Spouse	Dada Saheb Moghe
Parent	Vinayak Sitaram Sarwate
Awards	Padma Shri Jamnalal Bajaj Award Nai Duniya Nayika Lifetime Achievement Award

Shalini Moghe(1914 - 2011) was an Indian educationist,social workerand the founder of Kasturba Kanya School for tribal children and Bal Niketan Sangh,the firstMontessori schoolin the state ofMadhya Pradesh.She was the chairperson of theBharatiya Grameen Mahila Sangh,Indore,a national levelnon governmental organizationworking for the welfare and education of the disabled, orphans, under privileged and the economically weaker sections of the societyand was involved with other Indore-based educational institutions such as Prestige Public Schooland Pragya Girls School.A winner of theJamnalal Bajaj Awardin 1992, she was honoured by theGovernment of Indiain 1968, with the award ofPadma Shri,the fourth highest Indian civilian award for her contributions to the society.

Biography

Shalini Moghe was born in a middle-class family toTatya Sarwate,a locally known educationist and a formermember of parliamentafter whom a street in Indore is named,on 13 March 1914 atIndorein the Indian state ofMadhya Pradesh.She graduated in Arts (BA) fromKarachi,secured a diploma inMontessori educationand did advanced training inJuvenile Court and Child Welfarebefore joining government service.In 1944, she resigned from the job and started a nursery school, the firstMontessori schoolin the city,wholly funded by her personal resources.After three years of operations, she formed an association with like minded people under the name,Bal Niketan Sangh,in 1947 which grew to cover a host of activities such as welfare centres in the city and surrounding villages, creches and rescue home for destitute children, nurseries, integrated child development programmes, medical camps and financial assistance for women.

Moghe started a nursery in a sweepers' colony in 1953, though there was stiff opposition to the project. The state government nominated her as a member of the Madhya Pradesh State Social Welfare Board, placing two districts with largeadivasipopulation,JhabuaandWest Nimar,under her care. She utilised this opportunity to spread her activities to these areasand founded Kasturba Kanya School in Jhabua.She also established a toy library, in 1971, where the poor children below the age of ten had access to educational, scientific, mechanical and constructive toys.Her social forestry campaign of 1979 brought young people under one banner and one slogan,One boy one tree.She started several other programmes such as child immunization, baby shows, training on child care, toy making, manufacturing of educational equipment, and spinning.

Under the aegis of Bal Niketan Sangh, she established a BEd college,conducted teachers training programmes for primary teachers, and organised two integrated child development programmes, one at the slums of Indore city and the other at Jabot, the adivasi colony inJhabua district.Under these programmes, she set up 170 centres which attended to child immunization, prenatal and post natal care for women, child nutrition, health education, hygiene care, preschool training and family planning.A girls' Hostel was another project she started in Jobat which also imparted training in music,yoga,carpet weaving, tailoring, knitting, cooking and healthy living.

Moghe was associated with several government initiatives. She was a member of one of the task forces on pre-primary education under theKothari Education Commission.She also served a working group set up by theMinistry of Educationin 1979 onearly educationas a member.She was also a member of the reception committee of the International Solar Food Processing Conference 2009.

It is reported that Moghe, popularly known asShalini Tai(Tai means older sister in Marathi),worked without remuneration for the major part of her career and her earnings were spent for her social activities.She was married to Dada Saheb Moghe, a civil servantand she died 30 June 2011,at the age 98 succumbing to old age illnesses.She was cremated at Rambagh Mukthidam, a crematorium in Indore.

Awards and honours

TheGovernment of Indiahonoured Shalini Moghe with the civilian award ofPadma Shriin 1968.She received theJamnalal Bajaj Awardin 1992 forOutstanding Contribution in Development and Welfare of Women and Children and/or Gandhian Constructive Work by Women Workers.She was selected for theNai Duniya Nayika Lifetime Achievement Award 2010in 2009.TheGovernment of Madhya Pradeshdeclared her as one amongPradesh Ki Gauravshali Betiyan(State's Daughters of Pride) on the State Foundation Day on 1 November 2011 as a part of theBeti Bachao Abhiyan(Save the Daughter Campaign).

See also

• Bharatiya Grameen Mahila Sangh

External links

• "Civil investiture ceremony".Narishakti. 2015.Retrieved11 May2015.