Pune: The Padma Awards 2021 were announced on Monday by the Ministry of Home Affairs and one of the prominent names from Pune Sindhutai Sapkal was awarded with Padma Shri.

Sindhutai Sapkal is much more than just a name in Maharashtra. If you are dedicated, nothing can stop you from changing the lives of people around you, this line aptly suits for 'Maai' as Sindhutai is fondly known as.

Born on November 14, 1948, Sindhutai was born to cattle grazing family in the Wardha district of Maharashtra.

She was married at the age of 12 to a 32-year-old man, who abandoned her when she was barely 20. Rejected by her parents, she resorted to begging on streets or stations for survival and as mother of 4 children including a daughter, she hid in cemeteries at night to escape men on the prowl after dark.

Later, she realised that there are many orphans and adopted them as her own, begging or doing odd jobs for their survival, and she donated her youngest daughter to a Pune trust to eliminate the feeling of discriminating between her own child and the orphaned street-children.

Over the years, the 'Mother of Orphans' has nurtured over 1,050 orphans, has 207 sons-in law, 36 daughters-in-law and over 1,000 grandkids.

Sindhutai when came to know that she will recieve one of India's biggest awards, she said, "I lived my entire life for my children. I am mother to the orphans and this is my real identity. I never thought of any award. I dedicate this award to my children."

She has received around 270 awards from various national and international organisations. A Marathi movie “Mee Sindhutai Sapkal” was also released as her biopic in 2010.

(With inputs from IANS)