Sindhutai Sapkal: The Woman Who Became a Mother to Thousands of Orphaned Children

There was a time when Sindhutai Sapkal had almost nothing. She had little formal education, no financial security and, after being abandoned by her husband, no dependable support system. She survived by begging at railway stations and spending nights in places where she could find shelter.

Years later, she became known across Maharashtra as “Mai” — the mother who devoted her life to orphaned and abandoned children.

Over the course of her life, Sindhutai went on to nurture more than 1,500 children and received more than 750 awards and honours for her social work.

Sindhutai Sapkal Was Married at Just 12

Sindhutai Sapkal was born on November 14, 1948, in Wardha district of Maharashtra. She grew up in poverty and had to leave formal education after completing the fourth standard. She was married at around 12 years of age to a man much older than her.

Her life became even more difficult during pregnancy.

A local landlord allegedly spread rumours about her, after which her husband abandoned her. Her own family also refused to take her back, leaving her isolated from almost everyone she could have depended on.

She eventually gave birth to her daughter in a cowshed.

This was the beginning of one of the hardest phases of her life.

From Railway Stations to Cremation Grounds

With nowhere to go and a young daughter to care for, Sindhutai began begging for food and money.

She sang on trains and begged at railway stations to survive. At night, she sometimes stayed at cremation grounds because they offered her a place where she could remain relatively safe.

In 2016, while receiving the Neerja Bhanot Award, Sindhutai herself recalled this period of her life. She spoke about begging at railway stations and spending nights at cremation grounds.

But something changed during those years.

While trying to survive for herself and her daughter, she began noticing other children who were living without parents, shelter or support.

The Decision That Changed Her Life

Sindhutai realised that she was not the only person who had been abandoned.

There were children around her who had no mother or father to protect them. Instead of seeing their situation only as another tragedy, she decided to take responsibility for them.

Her own daughter was eventually placed with a trust in Pune so that Sindhutai could dedicate herself to caring for orphaned children. She then began taking in children who had nowhere else to go.

That decision transformed the direction of her life.

What started with helping individual children eventually developed into institutions and shelters dedicated to their care.

Sindhutai Sapkal Became “Mai” to Thousands

For more than four decades, Sindhutai worked for orphaned and abandoned children.

In 2021, the Indian Express reported that her foundation had nurtured more than 1,500 children over 45 years. Earlier reports had recorded different numbers, including more than 1,000 children, showing that the number changed as her work continued.

Her work was not limited to providing food and shelter. The organisations associated with her focused on education, health and nutrition for children.

She also used prize money and awards received for her work to help build shelters and support the children under her care.

One of the institutions associated with her work was Sanmati Bal Niketan Sanstha in the Hadapsar-Manjri area of Pune.

More Than 750 Awards and Honours

Sindhutai’s work eventually received recognition across India.

She received more than 750 awards and honours during her lifetime, according to PTI reports published after her death. In 2021, she was awarded the Padma Shri for her contribution to social work.

Among her earlier recognitions was the Ahilyabai Holkar Award from the Maharashtra government in 2010. She also received the Neerja Bhanot Award in 2016, an honour given to women who have faced social injustice and worked to help others.

Her life also became the subject of the Marathi biopic Mee Sindhutai Sapkal, released in 2010. The film went on to receive recognition at film festivals, bringing her story to an even wider audience.

Sindhutai Sapkal’s Final Years

Sindhutai continued working for children even after receiving national recognition.

She died in Pune on January 4, 2022, following a heart attack. She was 73, according to PTI and Indian Express reports. Her last rites were performed with full state honours.

By then, she was widely known as “Anathanchi Maye” or the “Mother of Orphans”.

Her death marked the end of a life that had moved from extreme personal hardship to decades of social work.

The Savage Humans Take

Sindhutai Sapkal’s story is not simply about overcoming poverty.

The more unusual part of her journey is what she chose to do with her own experience of abandonment.

She knew what it meant to have no home, no money and no one to turn to. When she encountered children facing similar circumstances, she chose to make room for them in her life.

The woman who was once left without a home eventually helped create homes for thousands of children.

That is what made Sindhutai Sapkal’s story larger than her own struggle.

Follow The Savage Humans for more stories of people whose lives changed the lives of others.