MATOSHREE VIMALABAI PANJABRAO DESHMUKH

          Srimati Vimalabai Deshmukh was born on 24 October 1906.Her mother died when she was seven years old. Therefore, the responsibility of the house came to her at a very young age. She was a very progressive thinker. Her father was a loyal and important worker of Prarthana Samaj, an organization of progressive thoughts. Her father JayramVaidya’s progressive and rationalistic thoughts were inculcated on Vimalabai from her childhood.

Vimalabai's childhood was spent in a Metropolitan city like Mumbai. Her education up to inter was also done in Mumbai.

Vimalabai's independent personality was developed from the environment of an advanced Metropolitan city like Mumbai, school and college education there and progressive intellectualism values at home.

She was the wife of Dr. Bhausaheb alias Panjabrao Deshmukh who is referred to as the, Education Maharshi, Sahakar Maharshi, Independent India's most successful 1st Agriculture Minister, and fortune teller of the Bahujans.

Vimalabai was B. A. after her marriage and in 1940 she got her L.L.B.

She became the first woman lawyer in Vidarbha and later became a very successful lawyer. Later, Vimalabai also worked as an Honorary Magistrate for five years. Vimalabai Deshmukh was an ideal student as well as an ideal teacher.

She worked as a teacher at Government Girls' High School, Amravati and took full charge of Shradhanand Girls' Hostel when it was started by Shree Shivaji Education Society.She was instrumental in starting Kasturba Girls School by Shivaji Shivaji EducationSociety and in its development.

She was adamant that girls should get Home Science education.

She studied Home Science in depth. She started a home science training center at Amravati and introduced the subject of home economics in the rural institute. Further, the courses were changed and in 1983 Senior College started a new B. Sc. Home Science course. Later, after passing away of Smt. Vimalabai, the college was named as Matoshree Vimalabai Deshmukh College, Amravati instead of Rural Institute. She used to strive to improve the quality of life of women and develop various talents in them.

Her role in the social work of Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Parishad was important. She was the President of Amravati Law College Committee and she gave a large financial donation for the construction of the college building. After Bhausaheb Deshmukh’s death, she was also the Vice -President of Shri Shivaji Education Society for some time.

She was Advocate by Profession and associated with various welfare bodies and organizations engaged in the upliftment of farmers; women and children. She was president of the, All India Kurmi Kshatriya Mahasabha Silver Jublee Session held in Culcutta in 1958, Bangle Merchants Association Conventions Held in Madras and Patana in 1958 and 1964. She was leader of the youth Group in the International Social Worker’s Conference of Toranto in 1954. She was Founder – Member and Vice -president of All India Women’s Food Council and Bharatiya Gramin Mahila Sangh.

Shrimati Vimalabai Deshmukh represented the state of Maharashtra in the House from April, 1967 to April 1972. She was Member of Loksabha from June, 1965 to March, 1967.

Shrimati Vimalabai Deshmukh’s husband Dr. Bhausaheb Deshmukh, who was the founder president of Shree Shivaji Education Society, passed away on April 10, 1965. But even after Dr. Bhausaheb Deshmukh, Smt. Vimalabai Deshmukh did independent social and political work. She served the society and continued the legacy of Dr. Bhausaheb Deshmukh work for everyone.

Shrimati Vimalabai Panjabrao Deshmukh passed away on 9th September 1997.