Former Rashtra Sevika Samiti Chief Pramiltai Medhe Passes Away at 97
2
3
Nagpur: Pramiltai Medhe, former Pramukh Sanchalika (chief) of Rashtra Sevika Samiti, the women's wing of Rashtriya Svayamsevak Sangh (
RSS
), passed away at the age of 97 on Thursday morning at Devi Ahilya Mandir in Dhantoli, where she resided since 1965.
She had been unwell for the last three months and critically ill for over a week.
She breathed her last at 9.05am.
According to her final wishes, her body will be donated to AIIMS Nagpur on Friday, August 1, at 8am. Her mortal remains were kept on the ground floor of Devi Ahilya Mandir on Thursday, where hundreds paid tributes.
A lifelong swayamsevika, Pramiltai was associated with the Samiti since childhood and went on to hold the highest position in the organisation.
Born on June 8, 1929, in Nandurbar, Maharashtra, Pramiltai held a BA and BT degree. She was fluent in Marathi, Hindi, and English, and known for her disciplined and organised life. She taught at CP and Berar High School, and later worked as a senior auditor in the DAGPT department, before taking voluntary retirement 12 years early to fully dedicate herself to the Samiti.
From 1978 to 2003, she served as Akhil Bharatiya Pramukh Karyavahika, with special responsibilities in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Compare Spreads: Bitcoin vs Ethereum CFDs
IC Markets
Learn More
Undo
She later became Pramukh Sanchalika from 2006 to 2012, handing over the role to Shantakkaji in 2012. Her tireless work, including a 266-day Bharat Parikrama at the age of 75, stands as a testimony to her indomitable spirit.
While talking to the media after paying tributes, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said, "Her entire life was devoted to the Samiti. For over 60 years, she worked relentlessly — even in the difficult terrain of the North-East, where she often travelled alone for months at a time.
That is an example for us. Her personal warmth, care, and discipline left a deep impact. Her absence will be felt by all, but she is also a source of energy and inspiration.
"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mourned the passing of Medhe, calling her life a shining example of dedication to society and national service. In a condolence message written in Marathi, posted on X, he said, "Deeply saddened by the demise of Pramiltai Medhe, former Pramukh of Rashtra Sevika Samiti. Her entire life was devoted to society and national service. Her invaluable contribution to
women empowerment
and social work will always be remembered."
The Prime Minister extended his condolences to her family members and admirers, praying for strength during this time of grief.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari also expressed grief over her demise. "Pramil maushi dedicated her entire life to patriotism and awakening of woman power. While managing her professional responsibilities, she rose from the branch level to become the Akhil Bhartiya Pramukh Sanchalika of the Samiti.
Her work in India and abroad — especially in England, the US, Canada, and Sri Lanka — was remarkable," he said.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also expressed deep sorrow over Pramiltai's demise, stating that she dedicated her entire life to the service of the nation through the Rashtra Sevika Samiti. "Under her leadership, the Samiti's work spread across the country, inspiring countless workers to engage in national service," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Rising demand prompts NMC to open 7th English med school
1 2 Nagpur: With a surge in demand for English medium education, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), in collaboration with Akanksha Foundation, is set to open a new English medium school in the city. This comes after the civic body received 772 applications for 287 seats across its existing six English medium schools for the 2024-25 academic session. The initiative aims to provide free, quality education in English medium to underprivileged children in the city. Last year too, 825 applications were received for 353 available seats, leaving around 472 students without admission. Given the overwhelming response from parents, the new school will be housed in Sadar's Rai Bahadur Goverdhandas Gopikisan Rajaramka (RBGGR) School under the joint supervision of NMC education department and Akanksha Foundation. The school will be affiliated to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education and will begin with admissions to junior KG and senior KG with the intake has been fixed at 80 students — 40 each in junior KG and senior KG. The NMC, with the support of Akanksha Foundation, has been running six English medium schools since 2021, offering free education to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like A man in his 40s drank "Wasabi" and his hair became… KAMINOWA Learn More Undo These schools have steadily grown in popularity due to quality of education and focus on holistic development. The six existing schools include Babhulban NMC English Medium School (East Nagpur), Ram Nagar NMC English Medium School (West Nagpur), Rani Durgawati NMC English Medium School (North Nagpur), Rambhau Mhalgi Nagar NMC English Medium School (South Nagpur), Late Baburao Bobde NMC English Medium School (South-West Nagpur), and Late Gopalrao Motghare (Khadan) NMC English Medium School (Central Nagpur).
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
State govt following Annabhau Sathe's path of upliftment: CM Fadnavis
1 2 Nagpur: The birth anniversary of Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe, the legendary people's poet and writer who gave voice to the struggles of the downtrodden, was celebrated with enthusiasm across Nagpur on Thursday. The main event was held at the Annabhau Sathe memorial located in front of Deekshabhoomi, which featured day-long cultural and literary programmes, poetry recitals, and public meetings. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis offered floral tributes at Sathe's statue and addressed the media, highlighting the writer's deep connection with social justice movements. "Annabhau Sathe's powerful writings carried the voice of the marginalised and energised the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. He reminded us that the Earth does not rest on the head of Sheshnag, but on the hard-working hands of labourers," said Fadnavis, adding that the state govt will continue to walk on the path of upliftment shown by Sathe. Higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil, MLCs Abhijit Wanjarri and Sandeep Joshi, and NMC commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari were also present and offered tributes. Various govt offices, including the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), also celebrated the occasion with garlanding ceremonies and remembrance programmes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo Born in 1920 in Wategaon, Tukaram Bhaurao Sathe, popularly known as Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe, was a Dalit social reformer, folk poet, and writer. Despite having no formal education, he wrote over 30 novels, 10 collections of stories, and numerous ballads in Marathi. His literature, rooted in the working-class and Ambedkarite ideology, reflected the pain and aspirations of oppressed communities. His life and work remain a symbol of resistance and empowerment even today.
India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
Shaping a new academic order Top General (Government) University
Rising research output, strong placements and growing enrolments help Delhi University unseat Jawaharlal Nehru University as India's leading public higher education destination No 1. UNIVERSITY OF DELHI, New Delhi From its modest beginnings in May 1922 through an Act of the central legislature, the University of Delhi today has evolved into a world-class institution of higher learning in India. In its inaugural year, the university comprised two faculties, Arts and Science, and offered a limited number of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes through its three founding colleges: St. Stephen's (1881), Hindu College (1899) and Ramjas College (1917). It began with eight departments: Sanskrit, History, Economics, English, Arabic, Persian, Physics and Chemistry, and the university library was established with a donation of 1,380 books, symbolising the early spirit of learning and scholarship. Cut to 2025, and the university offers 90 undergraduate, 135 postgraduate and 71 PhD programmes, along with 37 certificate and 114 diploma courses. Spanning 407 acres, it encompasses 91 colleges, 16 faculties, 86 academic departments and 23 centres, schools and institutes, boasting an enrolment of over 620,000 students. This makes it one of India's largest and most diverse public universities. More than 11,000 students are currently enrolled in PG programmes, underscoring the institution's enduring commitment to advanced academic training, research excellence and interdisciplinary scholarship. Of a total of 109 academic departments, centres, institutes and schools, 87 are dedicated to PG and higher studies. In alignment with the government's National Education Policy 2020, the university adopted UGCF (Undergraduate Curriculum Framework) 2022 and PGCF (Postgraduate Curriculum Framework) 2025, infusing flexibility, interdisciplinarity, Indian knowledge systems and research orientation into its curriculum. The infrastructure is a blend of colonial-era heritage buildings and modern, state-of-the-art facilities, including a network of 34 libraries with over 1.7 million volumes and access to 30,000+ e-journals. With 20 student hostels, 568 classrooms and seminar halls equipped with audio-visual and digital learning tools and WiFi-enabled campuses integrated with the National Knowledge Network, the university has over 238 specialised laboratories that support PG and doctoral programmes across the sciences, life sciences, social sciences, humanities and interdisciplinary domains. In 2024, the university recorded an impressive research output, with over 5,200 publications indexed in Scopus; 10.4 per cent (540 publications) ranked within the top 10 per cent, and 1.2 per cent (62 publications) among the top 1 per cent most cited publications worldwide. In addition, the university filed four patents and recorded 1,725 campus placements. Leading recruiters included Accenture, Deloitte, EY, McKinsey & Company, ZS Associates, ICICI Bank, KPMG, Amazon, Adobe, ITC, Mahindra, Morgan Stanley and TCS, among others. And the highest package offered to a PG student exceeded Rs 1 crore per annum. However, the figure represents only a part of the university's PG student placement landscape. A significant proportion of students pursue non-traditional, entrepreneurial or flexible career paths that are not fully captured through conventional placement metrics. For example, many LLB and LLM graduates choose independent legal practice, judicial apprenticeships or roles in courts, typically unreported in structured placement data. Similarly, students from disciplines such as Indian and foreign languages, music and performing arts commonly enter careers in translation, creative writing, journalism, tourism or freelance performance—sectors with rising demand but often with informal employment structures. Over 50 per cent of outgoing PG students come from Science, Commerce, Economics and Social Sciences, many of whom are absorbed into start-ups, consultancy, NGOs and digital media. These emerging fields emphasise flexibility, innovation and personal growth, making the university a powerhouse of higher education. GUEST COLUMN | Building the future By Prof. Yogesh Singh, Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi Over the past two years, the University of Delhi has embarked on a remarkable journey of transformation, driven by a vision to elevate its stature as a premier institution of higher education in India. One of the most significant achievements has been the recruitment of nearly 5,000 faculty members. This faculty strengthening drives academic quality and research excellence, providing students with a stable and enriched learning environment. Complementing this is the ongoing recruitment of non-teaching staff, ensuring better administrative support and smoother functioning across the university's sprawling network of 91 colleges and around 500 academic programmes. Infrastructure upgrades have been a priority, with an unprecedented Rs 2,000 crore investment aimed at renovating existing facilities and constructing new buildings equipped with modern amenities such as smart classrooms, WiFi connectivity, CCTV surveillance and sustainable solar power solutions. The new East and West campuses—located near Karkardooma Court and Sector 21 metro station, Dwarka, respectively—are slated to become operational by September 2026, symbolising the university's expansion beyond its traditional North and South campuses. Academic innovation is also at the forefront. The university has launched engineering programmes, marking its entry into technology education after decades of reliance on affiliated institutes. It has also expanded postgraduate offerings with new MA programmes in Korean and Chinese Studies, among others, reflecting a global and interdisciplinary outlook. The implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has brought the introduction of four-year undergraduate programmes, enhancing academic flexibility and depth. Research output has flourished, with over 5,200 publications in 2024 and the highest H-Index among Indian universities, underlining its growing reputation as a hub of knowledge creation. The 'Institution of Eminence' status and government funding have accelerated investments in digital infrastructure and central research facilities. Entrepreneurship is being nurtured through a dedicated startup incubator providing seed funding, mentorship and internships, and the Vice Chancellor Internship scheme connects bright students with industry and administrative roles, bridging academia and practical experience. Admission reforms through a centralised entrance test ensure a level playing field for applicants across diverse educational boards nationwide, fostering meritocracy and diversity with a balanced gender ratio of 53 per cent female students. As the University of Delhi celebrates more than a century of excellence, these comprehensive reforms and investments signal a dynamic new chapter. —as told to Shelly Anand CAMPUS NOTES | The launchpad of my dreams By Jyoti Meena, MBA in Marketing and Strategy, Third Semester, Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi After completing my BSc (Hons) in Chemistry from Hindu College, I dedicated myself to preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam, reaching the interview stage in February this year. However, over time, I began to realise that while public policy fascinated me, I also wanted to experience its application from a corporate lens. That's when the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) became my natural next step. FMS offered everything I needed: academic excellence, flexibility, an unbeatable alumni network and, most importantly, the Delhi location, which allowed me to manage my UPSC attempt alongside my course studies. Academically, FMS keeps us on our toes. We tackle diverse courses—finance, IT, marketing, strategy—before specialising in year two. I chose marketing and strategy, and I'm also diving deep into government consulting. We're currently required to complete a dissertation. What I love most about the FMS and DU ecosystem is its balance: it's rigorous, yes, but not suffocating. There's space for growth beyond textbooks—through case competitions, guest lectures and cultural clubs. Outside the classroom, I'm an executive member of the Public Policy Club, the first of its kind at FMS. We host guest lectures and policy conferences, and it's rewarding to create platforms where business students explore how policy intersects with the private sector. As I look forward to my final semester, placements and beyond, I also look back at my time at FMS. It has been more than pursuing a degree—a pivot, a platform and, most of all, a launchpad.
