On July 6, 1905, a girl named Kamal was born in Nagpur. Who knew then that in future this girl would become famous by the name of Lakshmibai Kelkar and create a great organization of women’s awakening. When Kamal’s mother read the newspaper ‘Kesari’, Kamal also used to listen to it attentively. Influenced by ‘Kesari’s’ brilliant ideas, she decided that she would marry without dowry. At the age of 14, Kamal was married to Purushottamrao Kelkar, a widower lawyer from Wardha, who was the father of two daughters. After marriage, Kamal’s name became Lakshmibai. She was an ideal and conscious housewife. Only indigenous items came to his house. She used to call teachers at home for her daughters.
From there, the feeling of girls’ education was born in his mind and he opened a girls’ school. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he got a spinning wheel at home. When Gandhiji appealed for donations in the meeting, Laxmibai donated her gold chain. Her husband died in 1932. During these days his sons started visiting the Sangh branch. The change in her thoughts and behavior aroused attraction in Lakshmibai’s mind towards the Sangh and she met the founder of the Sangh, Dr. Hedgewar. Dr. Hedgewar told him that women do not come into the Sangh. Then in 1936, she started a new organization for women called ‘Rashtra Sevika Samiti’. With the expansion of the committee’s work, Lakshmibai created a place of reverence in the hearts of women. Everyone started calling her ‘Vandaniya Aunty Ji’. With continuous efforts of 10 years, the work of the committee expanded to many provinces. The first national conference of the committee was held in 1945. She was in Karachi, Sindh a day before the independence and partition of the country. He also made arrangements for Hindu families to reach India safely.
Aunty considered Jijabai’s motherhood, Ahilyabai’s duty and Lakshmibai’s leadership as ideal for women. During his lifetime, he started many projects like Bal Mandir, Bhajan Mandali, Yoga Practice Centre, Girls Hostel etc. With the income earned by giving sermons on Ramayana, many offices of the committee were built. On November 27, 1978, venerable Aunty, the pioneer of women’s awakening, died. Rashtra Sevika Samiti, established by him, is today active in more than 25 countries of the world.