Kolkata was the 107th destination of an exhibition on Lakshmibai Kelkar, popularly known as Mausiji, founder of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti. Having travelled 36,000 km of Indian soil in nine months, the unique exhibition on Mausiji, that had 150 rare pictures with Hindi and Bengali captions, was organised at the Maharashtra Nivas Hall from April 27 to 28. Pramilatai Medhe, Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Pramukh San-chalika of Rashtra Sevika Samiti was the person who took the exhibition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat to north-eastern states of the country.
A view of exhibition |
She was accompanied by Shantatai Akka, the Akhil Bharatiya Karyavahika of the Samiti. Inaugurating the exhibition and the following public meeting, Jnananandamoyee Maa, Pranabkanya of Bharat Sevashram Sangh, said Mausiji had rightly recognised the malaise of the society and gave a rousing call to Hindu women to build up stree shakti so that no one could dare see them with contempt.
While elaborating this point, Pramilatai Medhe explained the life of Mausiji and said that she did it all alone. It was at the initial stage itself that she had shown her courage to ignore the social tabos and set a new lifeline. Dr Archana Dutta, president of the reception committee, while welcoming guests, asked young girls to adopt the path of Lakshmibai Kelkar. Mousumi Karmakar gave an outline of Sevika Samiti´s work in Dakshin Banga Prant. Pratima Basu, Prant Sanchalika and Shantatai Akka also shared the dais. Rita Chakravorty, Dakshin Banga Prant Sahkaryavahika, proposed a vote of thanks. (VSK)
