Indumati Sanghavi: A Saga of compassion
(A memoir by Ishvar Prajapati
English version by Pallavi Gupta)
Roots of Generosity: Family and Foundation
This is a true story from about twenty years ago, set in the very remote and rough area of Sabarkantha. A wealthy woman, Indumati Sanghavi, who was born in a rich family in cities like Madras and Mumbai, chose to go to a place most people had forgotten.
She traveled with the Collector at the time, Sir B. H. Ghodsara , into the extremely neglected villages of Poshina and Meghraj. In this ancient land, where there weren't even paved roads, they walked up old paths, climbing one desolate hill after another to find the people living in simple, grass-woven huts.
What she saw was shocking: not a single permanent house. Only humble shelters made of mud and sticks were clinging to the high slopes. The people looked utterly exhausted by their endless hard work. They were incredibly thin and frail. They couldn't even afford two small meals a day, and the children were often shivering without enough clothes. In this wilderness, getting sick meant a fast, harsh death. Life was an expensive, desperate fight, and dying was the only cheap thing.
This raw picture of human suffering hit her deeply. She wept with empathy and her heart was profoundly moved. In that moment of deep sadness and clarity, she made a solemn promise to herself: to dedicate everything she had to serve the 'Daridranarayan'—which means God in the form of the poor—in these forgotten valleys.
From that day on, her generosity knew no bounds. She became a force for change, donating millions to build up the essential areas of Education, Health, and Environmental protection. Her incredible actions changed the lives of thousands of people, making her a wonderful harbinger of new life. She was simply living up to the legacy of compassion she was born into.
The noble woman from Saurashtra, who used her vast wealth to light a bright lamp of hope for the poor and the neglected, was the legendary Indumati Sanghavi. She dedicated her entire, brilliant life to the pure, selfless work of Philanthropy and helping everyone.
Indumati was born on April 25, 1933, in Madras (now Chennai). While born there, her family roots are firmly linked to Amreli. Her father, Nagindas Devshi Sanghavi, was a respected figure in the Amreli region known for his generosity and philanthropic activities, often referred to by the epithet BhamaSha. Her mother, Jayalakshmi, was known for her kind and gentle nature.
Nagindas was a highly capable businessman whose commercial activities extended across multiple states. His enterprise went beyond Gujarat, reaching West Bengal and Madras, where he eventually settled for business purposes. He specialized in the land acquisition and trading business. His success in this field was remarkable, leading him to accumulate considerable wealth. Importantly, he was also a generous philanthropist, using his fortune to support noble and benevolent causes and providing substantial donations to various public institutions.
The family
Nagindas and Jayalakshmi had four children in total. Indumati was the eldest, followed by her two younger sisters, Hansa and Prafulla, and a brother. Indumati was born and spent her childhood in Madras, though the family maintained regular visits to their native place, Amreli.
Nagindas's brother, Lakshmidas Sanghavi, had settled in Mumbai for his business career. He served as the manager of the influential 'Natwarlal Shamaldas & Company', a large entity in the coal trade. The company held significant contracts for supplying coal to power stations and railways. Lakshmidas, too, achieved success and wealth in Mumbai. Despite his success, he lived a simple and thrifty life, dedicating his resources primarily to social service. Lakshmidas remained unmarried. For her higher education, Indumati moved from Madras to Mumbai to live with her uncle. Under her uncle's guidance, she not only pursued her academic studies but also acquired valuable life experience and wisdom that would be instrumental in her future.
Upon the completion of her collegiate studies, Indumati immediately took up her vocation in a high school situated in Mumbai. There, she not only imparted academic knowledge but also meticulously schooled her pupils in the principles of discipline and the essential precepts of life-crafting. With the passage of time, her dedication elevated her to the revered post of Principal. She was an unyielding sentinel of strict order; a single, minor lapse tolerated by her would render her unrecognisable—she would cease to be Indumati! So formidable was her reputation that even the most powerful and influential figures paused for long contemplation before daring to seek an audience with her for any petition or representation. It was difficult for even the best of people to withstand the ring of truth in her speech and her piercing gaze. It was not her nature to submit to anyone. She would state the truth directly, without holding back for anyone.
Both of her sisters, Hansa and Prafulla, settled in America and her brother passed away at a young age. She found it appropriate to dedicate her life to the service of the needy, the poor, and the marginalized, remaining free rather than getting tied down in the worldly illusion, and perhaps that is why she remained unmarried her entire life.
Indumati remained the sole heir to all the inheritance of her father Nagindas and uncle Lakshmidas. By the grace of God, she received immense wealth. Despite this, she resolved to live a simple, frugal life and spend all her wealth on public welfare, such as education, health, and the environment. She established trusts like 'Shri Jayalakshmi Nagindas Smriti Trust' in her mother's name and 'Matrushri Monghiba Charity Fund' in her grandmother's name, generously donating for the construction of everything from kindergartens to colleges. By giving a substantial donation for women's higher education in Amreli, she made the 'Matrushri Monghiba Women's Arts College' a bustling institution. She also contributed generously for a cowshed in Thava village of Vansda taluka.
Indumati’s parents had passed away long ago. Now, with the demise of her uncle, Lakshmidasji, in 2004, she became completely alone. She underwent several surgeries and was living on a single kidney. At one point, she also suffered a paralytic attack. Despite immense physical challenges, she continued to struggle with the support of her strong mental resolve. Even in this fragile state of health, she never allowed her spirit of service to diminish, demonstrating unwavering courage. On the contrary, she firmly resolved to do something for the forest-dwelling communities in the remote areas and took determined steps in that direction. It was around this time that she came into contact with the then Collector of Sabarkantha, Mr. B. H. Ghodsara. Mr. Ghodsara subsequently guided her to the regions of Poshina and Meghraj.
After walking through and traversing the villages of the Poshina and Meghraj areas, the pathetic sight of human beings struggling in poverty brought tears to her eyes. She became determined to establish primary facilities for education and health in this tribal area. Following this, she addressed the educational concerns of tribal girls in Kasana village of Meghraj taluka by providing a large donation to build a dormitory for the Shabri Kanya Vidyalaya.
It was during this period that she met Deepakbhai Ramdevputram, a dedicated serviceman who was then working as a Deputy Engineer in the Gujarat Electricity Board. Since then, Indumati's generous philanthropy has resulted in a vast amount of work in the remote villages of Sabarkantha and Aravalli districts. She repaired many dilapidated schools and constructed new classrooms for many schools that lacked them. Thinking of the bright future of children in these remote areas, she donated computers to numerous schools and established science labs in others. If one were to sit down to list all the donations made by her, it could easily fill a substantial book.
Along with education, her substantial financial contribution to the health sector has breathed new life into the public hospitals of the Aravalli region. Several hospitals that were on the verge of collapse have been revived and are currently thriving due to her charity. Modasa Sarvajanik Hospital was once known by the name of Dr. Dave. Indumati had made a very large donation for the construction of the Cancer Ward at the Modasa Sarvajanik Hospital during that time.
The Legacy of Vatrak and the Final Offering
News of Indumati's unparalleled generosity traveled far, drawing appeals from countless service organizations. Among these arrived a plea from the Fatesinh Rao Gaekwad Hospital at Vatrak, overseen by the Shri K. K. Shah Arogya Mandal.
Indumati, however, was no mere casual donor. It was never in her character to release funds simply upon reading a letter. Her method was one of meticulous validation: she investigated every claim, scrutinizing the institution until conviction settled in her heart. Once convinced, she did not just donate—she became a benefactress who transformed the organization.
The moment she arrived at Vatrak Hospital, the grandeur of its spacious campus immediately claimed her affection. Though the facilities of the time were modest, a profound, spiritual kinship formed, a sacred thread that remained unbroken for decades. When the hospital found itself on the brink, struggling on its deathbed, Indumati cast open her treasury, pouring in the necessary funds for its resurrection. Vatrak was not a project; it was kin to her spirit. She delighted in dwelling there, and the management, recognizing her stature, maintained private chambers for her stays.
Her continuous flow of aid revitalized the entire institution, funding wards, an Assembly Hall, and a crucial Nursing College. Her monumental financial contributions to Vatrak alone ascended to approximately two and a half crore rupees.
The Final, Lightened Soul
Indumati's ultimate ambition was to make herself light as a feather, having poured her entire being into the service of humanity. She proceeded to liquidate her remaining material assets—her house, her land—and spent every last coin on her charitable mission. Even her magnificent, seventeen-room Amreli mansion was given to a deserving service body for merely a token sum.
Where she would hesitate a hundred thousand times before spending a single rupee on her own comfort, she would release one crore rupees for a deserving educational body or hospital without a moment's hesitation.
Despite this breathtaking, endless outpouring of wealth, vanity found no purchase in her soul. Indumati, the great patron and fierce leader, ensured her feet remained firmly rooted to the Earth.
At the venerable age of ninety-three, when the body became a vessel of frailty, the call of Vatrak—her heart's true sanctuary—grew insistent. Leaving Amreli behind, she arrived at the Hospital, instantly feeling the profound solace of homecoming.
She was attended day and night by Kuttiben from Kerala, a devoted soul whose care transcended duty, offering the tender service a daughter reserves for her own mother. The entire Hospital staff, regarding her as one of their own cherished kin, joined in this affectionate vigil. Despite the encroaching physical weakness, a deep, radiant self-satisfaction illuminated her countenance. Perhaps a sense of the final transition had already settled upon her. In the last moments, when Virambhai, the Secretary of Vatrak Hospital, came to her side, she gripped his hand and held him close.
The final curtain fell on November 18, 2025. She drew her ultimate breath at Vatrak, finally merging into the Divine grace. Having consecrated her life to service, the Vatrak Hospital staff had become her true family. It was by their hands that her mortal remains were carried and given to the flames upon the sacred banks of the Vatrak River.
Across the continents, Prakash Shah in America, son of the late Shri K. K. Shah, received the news of her passing with deep sorrow, for his bond with Indumati was one of familial intimacy. To honor her pious soul, he undertook the solemn duty of arranging the Tarpan ritual at the hallowed ground of Siddhpur.
In an act of enduring respect, Deepak Ramdev Putram, Viram Bharwad, and Pankaj Patel, along with their dedicated team, journeyed to Siddhpur to perform the scriptural rites, offering the final respects to the great benefactress. The Chairperson of the Hospital, Sujata, led the community in a heartfelt tribute during a great condolence meeting held on the very grounds she had saved, as deeply emotional messages poured in from across the entire state of Gujarat.
The Enduring Legacy
Before her final ascent, the saintly soul, Indumati, had meticulously prepared her will. She orchestrated that her entire estate and vast fortune should be channeled into the sacred causes of Education, Health, and the Service of the Needy. This weighty mantle of responsibility she gracefully placed upon the shoulders of the esteemed Shri P. K. Laheri—President of Vatrak Hospital and former Chief Secretary of Gujarat State.
Hers was a life so rare, so pristine, that it befitted a Rishi Kanya—a sage's daughter. Though she is no longer physically present among us, the fragrance of her noble deeds shall continue to permeate society for years and ages to come.
How unfathomable are the threads of destiny! From Amreli to Madras, from the bustle of Mumbai to the tranquil banks of the Vatrak in Aravalli—who can chart the journey Fate prescribes? Truly, the divine play is inscrutable.
Our only prayer remains:
May God grant eternal peace to the divine soul of the great saga-Indumati!
(Information support gratefully acknowledged from: Deepak Ramdevputram, Kishor Mehta, Viram Bharwad)
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For Translation Contact : 9428932943
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