Dr. Kumar Rakesh
Name: Pramila Tai Medhe (1929 – July 31, 2025)
Position: Former Pramukh Sanchalika (Chief Mentor), Rashtra Sevika Samiti
Remembered For: Her lifelong dedication to the Rashtra Sevika Samiti and unwavering commitment to empowering women through the lens of Indian cultural and spiritual values.
Rashtra Sevika Samiti
The passing of Pramila Tai Medhe in Nagpur on July 31, 2025, at the age of 96, quietly closed the chapter on a life that was never lived for applause, yet left a lasting imprint on the soul of India’s women-led cultural awakening. She didn’t seek the spotlight—she didn’t need to. Her strength lay in quiet conviction, and her journey was one of unwavering dedication.
For over 85 years, as a devoted sevika, and later as Pramukh Sanchalika of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti from 2006 to 2012, Pramila Tai embodied a rare blend of humility and resolve. She was not just part of the Samiti’s history—she was one of its guiding lights. Her life was rooted in seva, shaped by discipline, and driven by a deep love for Bharatiya Sanskriti.
In her, generations of women found an anchor—someone who lived the ideals she preached, who nurtured strength in silence, and who believed that true leadership doesn’t demand recognition; it earns respect, quietly and consistently. Her passing is not just a personal loss to thousands of sevikas across the country—it is a moment of collective remembrance for a woman who gave everything to a cause larger than herself.
Terming it as the “shadow of affection” for every karyakarta, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat remembered Medhe’s legacy. Her death triggered profound emotional reactions from those whose lives she had touched with her compassion and determination.
Early Life and Association with Samiti.
Born in 1929, Pramila Tai Medhe first came in contact with the Rashtra Sevika Samiti in 1939, only three years after its founding by Laxmibai Kelkar. Her early involvement coincided with a critical phase in India’s socio-political development and the Samiti’s foundational years.
Collaborating with the founder and original sevikas, Medhe’s career was forever determined. She was more than administrative or symbolic in her commitment—she was involved in fieldwork, training, and grassroots work throughout her life.
Leadership and Contribution
As Pramukh Sanchalika between 2006 and 2012, Medhe assisted in leading the Samiti through a period of social transformation and heightened media attention. She made sure that the organisation remained firm on its principles yet adapted to the times. During her tenure, the Samiti increased Shakha network, concentrated on leadership training camps, and developed its community service setup.
She placed stress on ideological consciousness, cultural grounding, and emotional resilience in all trainings, thus making the Samiti a beacon for women empowerment based on Indian values.
Central Ideology and Approach
The ethos of the Samiti is founded on three cornerstones:
Matrutva (Universal Motherhood)
Kartrutva (Social Responsibility)
Netrutva (Leadership)
Medhe exemplified all three. She supported young minds, showed the way by example, and assumed the duty of helping neglected segments of society. Her vision was never confrontational but one of quiet transformation—empowering women to be powerful agents of change within families, in society, and in the nation.
Service (Seva) as Core Mandate
Medhe had charge of various effective seva (service) endeavors while in office and later. These included:
500+ education programs and 45+ healthcare initiatives
Women’s self-help groups to encourage economic independence
Devi Ahilyabai Smarak Samiti (DASS) – rehabilitation centre for trauma and abuse victims
Bal Gokulam – cultural education programme for children
By doing this, Medhe made sure that the Samiti was not just a socio-cultural organization, but an instrument of silent, systemic change.
Relationship with RSS and Independence
While commonly erroneously referred to as the “women’s wing of the RSS,” the Rashtra Sevika Samiti is organizationally separate, although ideologically affiliated. Medhe consistently kept this difference intact throughout, reinforcing the Samiti’s separate identity while fostering its ideological synergism with the Sangh Parivar.
Legacy and Remembering Pramila Tai
Pramila Tai Medhe was not a leader who sought limelight, but her absence is deeply felt. Her life bridged the founding era of the Samiti to its vibrant present. At the Samiti’s 80th anniversary in 2016, thousands of sevikas gathered in her presence, a tribute to the strength and relevance of the organisation she nurtured for decades.
Her legacy is best reflected in the thousands of Pracharikas—the Samiti’s full-time women workers—who now travel across India, transforming lives in quiet determination, just as she once did.
In Her Words (Often Recalled by Sevikas):
“Seva does not ask for applause. It only asks for commitment.”
Pramila Tai Medhe was a silent worker and a giant in action. Her legacy does not lie in headlines but in the numerous lives she influenced, the principles she practiced, and the steadfast spirit of Rashtra Sevika Samiti, which still stands tall—rooted in dharma, energized by seva, and headed by women of quiet strength.
Comments are closed.