Mrs. Arundhati Bakshi

Mrs. Arundhati Bakshi :

Mrs. Arundhati Bakshi passed away on 8 December '11

Vandana DattaArundhati has been with us, as a member of the Inter College Women's Association from its very inception 25 years ago, a very zealous member indeed. She was a pioneer and worked hard with us, the other pioneers, to put the association on its feet. Her special field of interest and service was the Remand Homes. I remember vividly her travelling with me, Ashok Priyadarshi and others of the group in the early days, to conduct seminars in various places in order to enthuse the schools to take up the young prisoners for their field of social work. She very enthusiastically gave spirited talks on the subject, when called on.

She took the Remand Homes as her own special field of work also, and would join the team every Saturday on the long journey to Gai Ghat, in the heat of the afternoon sun, even though she never kept really well. However, she was also interested in the other projects of the association, always, till very recently when she became quite ill, attending the monthly meetings and enthusiastically giving her opinions and suggestions. She had very valuable views and, besides giving them verbally, she would write for the association magazine, 'Waves'. She has been one of the pillars of the association, ICWA. As recently, as two months ago, even when she was still not at all well, she was able to be on her feet to attend the monthly meeting, to everyone's surprise. And, happily, she was there to celebrate the Silver Jubilee That was her relationship with us and we shall miss her sorely. May God reward her abundantly for all she did to uplift young prisoners especially, but also other groups(projects) slum women and children, women students in colleges, and emotionally disturbed middle class women. So, we, her colleagues in the association, have much to thank Arundhati for and she will always be remembered as an exemplary member of the association and as a loving and friendly colleague.. May her soul rest in peace!