Gauri’s victory for women’s education

When Gauri came to know about the result around 10.45 am,she was with her 82-year-old grandmother at her uncle’s house. “I had expected 90 per cent marks,but securing 95.5 per cent and becoming the topper in Pune was unexpected,” said Gauri,who wants to become an engineer and do research. Gauri is also fond of music and wants to learn sitar. She gave the credit for her success to her uncle,aunty and sister Revati besides her father,mother and grandmother.

Sindhutai is ecstatic at her granddaughter’s success. “I am feeling very proud that my grandchild was educated in Anna’s (Maharshi Karve) institute.”

It was a very special day for Sindhutai as she has seen Karve and even cooked food for him. “I give credit to my husband who after our marriage in 1943 allowed me to study further. I was in Karve Institute from 1946 to 1951. I used to cook in the kitchen of the institute and study,too. I completed the teacher’s training course at the institute and as a teacher worked for almost 35 years in various places,mostly in rural areas,” she said.

Dr Anurekha was a practising paediatrician in Mumbai — a job that she left to join Karve Institute as a medical officer. The rationale was simple — she felt it was her duty to give back to the institute that has done so much for women’s education. Gauri’s father Arvind is an engineer and is heading the Jaipur facility of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.