Sindhutai Sapkal, known as ‘orphan children’s mother’, dies

Sindhutai Sapkal: Twitter: INC India&nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspTwitter

Pune: Renowned social worker Sindhutai Sapkal, known as `orphan children’s mother’, died following a heart attack at a private hospital here, doctors said.

Sapkal, who had received the Padma Shri last year, was 75. She had been admitted to the Galaxy Care Hospital here.

“She had undergone a hernia surgery one and a half months ago and recovery was very slow. Today she died of a heart attack around 8 pm,” said Dr Shailesh Puntambekar, Medical Director of the hospital.

Sapkal, who grew up in poverty and had to suffer immense hardships as a child, went on to set up institutes for orphan children. She adopted and took care of more than one thousand orphan kids in 40 years.