UTTARAKHAND: Though public office is often seen through the prism of administrative rigidity, Ramindri Mandarwal is one person who is known to thousands across Uttarakhand and beyond as not merely an official but as “mother” and “grandmother.”
Born on April 22, 1972, in the picturesque hills of Uttarkashi, Ramindri was raised in a family deeply rooted in Gandhian ideology. The daughter of Sunderlal Mandarwal, a two-time MLA from Pauri and Srinagar, and her mother Sundari, Ramindri’s childhood was unconventional. While other children played with toys, she found a spiritual anchor in “Laddu Gopal ji,” whom she treated as her own son. By the age of nine, she was already driven by an inexplicable urge to help the underprivileged children.
Her commitment to education began long before she held an official title. In 1985, while a seventh-grade student, Ramindri noticed children from the Valmiki and Banjara settlements near her school struggling with basic education. “I took permission from the school principal to teach these children in the school classrooms after the final bell rang,” Ramindri recalls.
“This routine continued for years. Even when I moved to the degree college, I didn’t stop. I was fortunate enough to be elected vice-president of the Degree College Student Union in 1990. I balanced my studies with career counselling for those children and maintained a list of students who were dropping out due to financial constraints.”
The 1990s in the Himalayan region were defined by the fiery movement for a separate state of Uttarakhand. As the agitation reached its peak in 1994, Ramindri dove headfirst into the fray. For six years, she sacrificed her comfort to give momentum to the cause. When the Centre finally granted statehood to Uttarakhand in 2000, Ramindri emerged not just as a hardened activist, but as a seasoned leader.
However, she recognised a pragmatic reality: to effect long-term change, one needs a sustainable platform. With the same grit that fuelled her social work, she cleared the Provincial Civil Services (PCS) exam.
Bureaucracy is often criticised for creating a culture of detachment. But even after donning the mantle of a PCS officer, her heart remained tethered to the downtrodden. She still spent her evenings arranging school fees, uniforms, and support for destitute women and young girls.
When the horrific 2012 Nirbhaya case shook the nation, Ramindri risked administrative scrutiny by joining other citizens on the streets in protest. Her father Sundarlal’s time as the MLA of Srinagar and Pauri gave Ramindri a chance to observe every section of society closely. With her background, it goes without saying that Ramindri wears many hats. She has also worked as a protection officer and as secretary of the state women’s commission. Her focus shifted to women’s issues.
While the 53-year-old PCS officer has held several important positions, she has continued working to alleviate the suffering of those belonging to marginalised sections of society. “My purpose in life is to stand by others in their pain, wipe their tears, and see smiles on their faces,” Ramindri muses.
To this end, she converted her own home in Badripur, Dehradun, into an orphanage in 2007. Since then, more than 170 destitute children, women, and elderly individuals have found support in this shelter. Ramindri notes that 17 young women who lived in her home-turned-ashram have now been married. They were all poor and destitute, but she arranged their marriages with responsible young men after careful consideration, and they are all very happy.
Her dedication to help destitute children earned her the ‘Best Mother’s Award.’ The children that she has helped endearingly call her “Maa.” Even though she is unmarried, she feels, “I have grandchildren, daughters, sons, a son-in-law, and a daughter-in-law. It makes my life worth living.”