Srimati Veenaben Motilal Pandhi

 Veenaben Pandhi is born on 03.07.1940 at Karachi in United India. After the Partition in 1947, her family migrated to Rajkot. Since then Rajkot is her “ Karma Bhoomi”

Educational Journey of Veena ben shows following picture:
01.    Primary Education at  ‘ Rashtriya School’  ;
02.    Higher Secondary Education at Modern School and Sheth G. T. Girls High School ;
03.    1961 – She passed out B.A. Exams and attained graduation;
04.    1963 -  She obtained Masters degree (M.A.);
05.    1966 -  She completed Graduation in “Library” Stream of education (B. Lib.Sc) from Ahmedabad;
06.    1987 -  She Obtained Master’s degree i.e. M.Lib.Sc in the same stream. And thus became the first person in the entire Saurashtra to obtain this degree.

Apart from this, she undergone course of Music in  “Vocal” and “Sitar” for 4 years each. She is an expert exponent of ‘ Manipuri’ dance which she learnt from ‘ Bharati Vidya Bhawan’ , Mumbai. She has also passed out ‘Veenit’ level in Hindi – our National language.

She stood ‘First’ in ‘Folk Dancing’ at Lucknow competing with dancers from 16 districts;  she has stood ‘ third’ as the representative of Gujarat State in Dance competion held at Baroda; She also received  accolades from none other than ‘ Late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’.

Her career is chequered and touched different fields :
a.    1963 – She started her career as a Teacher in Kotak Kanya Vidyalaya;
b.    1963-64 – She served ‘ Mahila Vikar Gruh’ established by Raghuvanshi Lohana community;
c.    1965-2001 – For 36 years she was with ‘ Matushri Veerbai Ma Mahila College’ as the Head of Librarty section
d.    1976-1998 – For nearly 22 years, she was Visiting Faculty to the Library Section in Saurashtra University;

Veenaben is not far behind in Social Service sector also
 i)   Since 1958, she is indispensable component of ‘Aakashvani’, Rajkot doing hundreds of Interviews;   conversations; short stories, etc;
ii)     She was ‘Fine Arts Secretary’ during her College life;
iii)    1962 – She became the Working Committee Member of Shree Rajkot Lohana Mahajan;
iv)    1980 – She became the “ Lady Convener” of Shree Rajkot Lohana Mahajan;
v)    1962 – She became the Madhyastha member of  ‘ Shree Lohana Mahaparishad’;

Veenaben has exemplary dedication to the cause of ‘Women’ as evidenced from her following involvements:
•    1992 – Established ‘ Raghuvanshi Mahila Mandal’ ; She intiated as ‘Secretary’ and now continuing as ‘Vice-President’ of the Orgnaisation;
•    2001 – Established ‘ Lohana Sakhi Mandal’ which has spreaded in Seven branches. She handles all these branches as President – an able leader;

She is working tirelessly and continuously for developing the sense, ability and understanding of ‘Self dependence’ in women by involving into various Cottage level activities such manufacturing and preparing ‘Pickles’ ; ‘Papad’;  ‘Potato wafers’ ; ‘Beverages’; ‘Khakhara’, etc.

01.    1978 till to-day, she is functioning as ‘Trustee’ of  ‘Mahila Vikas Gruh’ established by Raghuvanishi Lohana community;
02.    1998 – Established ‘ Bhagini Mahila Mandal’;
03.    2003 – Established as President an Organisation for Senior Citizens (Women) under the name & style ‘ Saanj Sangath’ ;
04.    Trustee – Shree Jalaram Higher Education Mandal;
05.    Vice-President – Shree Rajkot Lohana Mahajan;
06.    Trustee – Shree Lohana Mahaparishad;

It is the good luck of our society that such a versatile woman is an important component of Board of Trustee – whom we can look to in case of need.