Padma Shri awardee Prabhaben Sobhagchand Shah passed away at the age of 92. She was a renowned figure in the field of education and social work in India, known for her contributions to the upliftment of the underprivileged and marginalized sections of society.
Prabhaben Sobhagchand Shah was born in Gujarat, India, in 1929. She completed her education and began her career as a teacher, but soon realized her true calling in social work. She devoted her life to working for the upliftment of the underprivileged and marginalized sections of society, particularly women and children.
She established a number of schools and educational institutions in Gujarat, with the goal of providing quality education to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. She also set up several organizations to promote the welfare of women and children, and worked tirelessly to improve their living conditions and empower them to lead independent lives.
In recognition of her contributions to society, Prabhaben Sobhagchand Shah was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award in 1999. The award is given by the Government of India to recognize exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to their fields.
A credit company was established by Prabhaben Sobhagchand Shah and the Mahila Mandal team to provide loans to women who wanted to start modest businesses like making papad, tailoring, or operating grocery stores. During the Bangladesh Partition and the Indo-China War in 1965 and 1971, she was also chosen to serve on the defence committee. From 1992 to 1994, she was a member of the Gujarat State Social Welfare Advisory Board’s board of directors in Ahmedabad. She worked as a Dowry Prohibition officer in 1998 before being proposed in 2001 for a position on the Daman and Diu District Legal Advisory Committee.
Her passing marks a great loss for the field of education and social work, and her contributions will be remembered for generations to come. She will always be remembered as a selfless and dedicated individual who devoted her life to the upliftment of the underprivileged and marginalized sections of society.