An engaging conversation between two accomplished women with renowned interviewer Prabha Deoskar, Dr Kamayani Deshpande, Director, ‘Upaay’ and cancer specialist, and Anagha Purandare, social activist and entrepreneur --left the audience inspired at an interactive session held at Saraswati Mandir, Ram Nagar, on Sunday. The programme, titled ‘Amhihi Savitri’, was presided over by Anuradha Purekar. Known for her insightful interviews, Deoskar steered the discussion through the personal journeys and social commitments of both guests, highlighting how professional excellence can be combined with meaningful community service. Speaking about her initiative ‘Upaay’, Dr Deshpande said, her decision to work with children living on Nagpur’s footpaths stemmed from her belief that education, not charity, offers a lasting solution to poverty.

 

“Giving money may solve today’s problem, but education transforms an individual’s future,” she said. She recalled that her journey began after reading a ‘The Hitavada’ report on Varun Shrivastava, an IIT Kharagpur graduate who had started teaching street children. Inspired by his work, she began volunteering during her evening hours. When Deoskar asked how she earned the trust of children who had long faced neglect, Dr Deshpande said, many underprivileged children experience discrimination in schools, while teachers in Nagpur Municipal Corporation schools remain overburdened. Instead of merely teaching them, her organisation created an environment of acceptance through cultural activities, music, dance and social gatherings, particularly in Mouda. The approach has yielded remarkable results, with one former student now working as an engineer at Tata Motors and another securing 92 per cent in the Class X Board examination.

 

The spotlight then shifted to Anagha Purandare, who shared why she left her birthplace and career in Pune to settle in Pitejhari, a remote tribal village of around 600 residents near the Nagzira Tiger Reserve. She credited her husband for inspiring the move and said her mission became empowering tribal women through sustainable livelihoods. Through the Nisargvedhi Foundation, she also works to educate tribal children, believing that education is vital to bringing lasting change in remote communities. Through the Sakhi Mahila Bachat Gat, she has helped women produce Gond art, bags and other handicrafts that are sold to tourists visiting the tiger reserve and other markets. She described the women of Pitejhari as resilient and determined, recalling how they united in 2008 to shut down a liquor den that was destroying families. Vote of thanks was proposed in the end by Deoskar. Rashmi Ranade compered the programme.