Retd headmistress donates full year’s pension to CM’s relief fund to fight Covid-19 battle
BMC doctors conducting COVID 19 testing in Police officers quarters in Borivali west.PUNE: Parvati Chavan, an 86-year-old headmistress who retired from a Pune Municipal Corporation school in Vishrantwadi, has decided to donate her entire year’s pension of Rs 1.01 lakh to the chief minister’s relief fund to fight the Covid-19 battle.
Usually, Chavan would save up the money every year and use it all to celebrate Ram Navami in a temple that the family had acquired near Shaniwarwada.
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But, this year, due to the lockdown, she was unable to celebrate the festival and instead decided to donate the money for a noble cause.
“In my entire 86 years, I have never seen such a crisis. When I was young, there was plague or some other health scare, but nothing compares to this. All I pray for is for this to be over and everybody to be safe,” she said.
Her son Ganesh said the family acquired the Ram temple in 1994 and since the next year they celebrate Ram Navami at the temple.
“My mother doesn’t spend the monthly pension money as we take care of her. She uses this accumulated money to organise the celebrations at the Ram temple which is attended by about 500 people. This money was lying unutilised because of the lockdown. We will be handing over the cheque on Friday,” he said.
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His mother was disappointed that they could not celebrate the festival this year. “We do annadan (free lunch) during this festival and I was restless when I realised I will be unable to do it this year. Hence I thought of giving the money to the chief minister’s relief fund so that the poor can be fed. The moment I took the decision, I was happy. I pray from my heart that everybody gets out of this situation without any damage . It is my only wish this Ram Navami,” the octogenarian said.
Usually, Chavan would save up the money every year and use it all to celebrate Ram Navami in a temple that the family had acquired near Shaniwarwada.
Coronavirus lockdown: Latest updates
But, this year, due to the lockdown, she was unable to celebrate the festival and instead decided to donate the money for a noble cause.
“In my entire 86 years, I have never seen such a crisis. When I was young, there was plague or some other health scare, but nothing compares to this. All I pray for is for this to be over and everybody to be safe,” she said.
Her son Ganesh said the family acquired the Ram temple in 1994 and since the next year they celebrate Ram Navami at the temple.
“My mother doesn’t spend the monthly pension money as we take care of her. She uses this accumulated money to organise the celebrations at the Ram temple which is attended by about 500 people. This money was lying unutilised because of the lockdown. We will be handing over the cheque on Friday,” he said.
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His mother was disappointed that they could not celebrate the festival this year. “We do annadan (free lunch) during this festival and I was restless when I realised I will be unable to do it this year. Hence I thought of giving the money to the chief minister’s relief fund so that the poor can be fed. The moment I took the decision, I was happy. I pray from my heart that everybody gets out of this situation without any damage . It is my only wish this Ram Navami,” the octogenarian said.
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