Manda (Mandatai) Marathe

Perhaps the oldest pioneer of Adarsha Shikshan Mandal, the octogenarian Mrs. Manda ("Mandatai") Marathe has played a pivotal role in bringing about transformations in the educational field in Miraj.

Born in 1937, Mandatai is a Post-Graduate in Arts and versatile in her contributions to education in Maharashtra. Inheriting social & educational reform ideologies from her grandfather and uncle, Mandatai has astutely brought about transformations and reforms to education at & through Adarsha Shikshan Mandal. Joining Adarsha Shikshan Mandal as a Treasure in 1963, she made her mark through pioneering efforts and visionary work. Her role and contribution in the expansion of the Institution have come in at important time periods in the growth of Adarsha Shikshan Mandal.

Mandatai has also been a founding member & pioneer in developing Aksharnandan Shala in Pune. Apart from this, she has also worked on various voluntary educational projects through Shrujan Anand, an educational initiative.

With a philosophy of translating personal attributes into social benefits, Mandatai has a vast repertoire of skills, initiatives and achievements that have especially benefitted Adarsha Shikshan Mandal, its students, teachers and parents alike. Mandatai is an extremely environment conscious person and she conducts workshops to train people to use Zero Garbage techniques as a part of her ‘Zero Garbage’ Project. She has also initiated various cleanliness drives, plantation & preservation drives, waste management projects in & around Miraj.

Mandatai has also initiated and conducted all-round development programs for Adarsha Shikshan Mandal in the form of Sanskar Varg, hobby classes, handwriting & calligraphy workshops for teachers & students, child theatre movement and various other orientation programs and exhibitions.

An active, cheerful, soft-spoken and giving persona that Mandatai is, her mentorship is still sought by younger generations. Her contributions are indelibly written in the history & growth of education in Maharashtra.