Renuka

Name: Renuka

Early life and Education:

Date of Birth: 02.03.1965

Place of Birth: New Delhi

Date of Heavenly Abode: 18^th May 2021 (Due to COVID -19)

Parents Name: Mother: Vijay Gupta (from Phagwara); Father: Dev Raj Gupta (Mirpur, now in Pakistan, Occupied Kashmir)

Siblings: Jitendra Kumar (04.07.1962)^. and Sanjay Gupta (04.01.1970)

Place of stay before marriage: D – 13 B, Lajpat Nagar – II, New Delhi - 110024

Spouse Name: Dr. indu prakash singh

Date of Marriage: 25th Nov, 1987

Children's Names: Manav (DoB: 24.12.1993); Pragya (DoB: 01.05.2001)

School of Renuka: Lady Irwin School, 1982

College: Kamla Nehru College, B A (Pass; English, Hindi, Sociology and Political Science), University of Delhi, 1985

Post Graduation: M A (Social Work), Jamia Millia Islamia, 1987

Career:

The ULTIMATE JOB (Par excellence) CEO, Pardada Pardadi Educational Society (PPES: www.pardadapardadi.org), 2001 - 2021

First Job: School Social Worker, St. Paul's School, SDA, New Delhi, 1987 -1988

Second Job: Oxfam Bridge: 1988 - 1997

Third Job: Executive Secretary, Voluntary Health Association of Delhi (VHAD), 1998

Fourth Job: Director, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), 1999

Fifth Job: Catholic Relief Services: 1999 -2000

From 22 years of her age until 56 years, i.e., 34 years; Renuka worked in the Social sector and left an indelible mark.

Position of Responsibilities:

In Oxfam Bridge (Crafts / Livelihood Initiative): responsible for West, and North India
In VHAD, Heading it and steering a UNICEF School sanitation programme and guiding the UNHCR project
In BBA: Heading it to eliminate child labour. After Renuka’s demise, Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, called her spouse to express his condolences.
IN PPES: steered the entire education, rural development, health, SHGs, Livelihood initiatives for over two decades, with an excellent team.

Distinguished achievements:

Won numerous awards, the details are given in the Awards section.

Awards and honours:

Pardada Pardadi Educational Society (PPES: www.pardadapardadi.org) under the leadership of Everlasting Renuka and Virendra Sam Singh won the following Awards:

2009-Godfrey Philips Social Award

2010-Public Service Broadcasting Award for Gandhian Philosophy.

2010- Indian NGO of the Year by resource Alliance and Rockefeller Foundation

2011- Gillette Blade of Honour

2011- Champions of Social Transformation Award by the Bahai Foundation

2012- Real Heroes Award by CNN-IBN and reliance Industries

2012- Earth Foundation the Rays of Hope Award

2012- Sat Pal Mittal Award

2013- Lifetime Achievement Award by The Textile Association (India) Delhi for contribution for uplifting lives of rural girls.

2015-Qimpro Standards Award in the field of Education

2015-Featured on ‘Aaj Ki Raat Hai Zindagi’, an Indian talk show hosted by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan

2015- Featured in 'The Real Heroes' on 92.7 BIG FM

2016-‘Vocational Excellence Award’ under the category of Education/ Skill Development by Rotary International

2016-Ashoka Changemaker School Award

2016- Guide Star Platinum Transparency Award

2017-2019- Adhyayan Quality Standard Award

2018-Bridge (Basic Registry of Identified Global Entities) ID No-4575406959

2018-Guide Star with Champion Guide Star India Platinum Certification

2019- Guide Star with Champion Guide Star India Platinum Certification

2019-Partner in Excellence Award by The Other Side- Intercultural Theatre

2019-2020-Ranked No.1 Girls School in Bulandshahr & 10^th in Uttar Pradesh by Education World

Personal Life:

Renuka was the cynosure of her entire family (both her parents and in-laws) and friends. She was the one who remembered everyone’s birthday’s and loved giving gifts to all. She was a great cook too. She regaled in having friends and family at home for lunches and dinner. She was great friends with her mother –in – law and would take her on outing for chaats and gol gappas, besides shopping for sure.

She made our home manager (Zarina) into a chef. Zarina is still around with her excellent cooking skills that Renuka taught her.

Renuka was a shy person. She avoided being in the limelight. And was happy doing her work quietly. She was a great problem solver.

In short, Renuka was a complete person, holistic to the core.

She was deeply devoted to her work with the children that she neglected her own health. But she lived her life with full gusto, elan, and verve.

She was a confident and a brave person. She loved travelling and seeing places. She did travel to the USA, Bahamas, UK, Europe, Thailand, Malaysia and much of India for sure. And she made friends in large numbers, and treated them with same love, care and concern that she had for her family members.

Publications:
Co – Author with Indu Prakash Singh: 1990. Indian Women: The Captured Beings. New Delhi: Intellectual Publishing House

Co – Author with Indu Prakash Singh: 1991. Indian Women: The Power Trapped. New Delhi: Galaxy Publications

Pragya, Manav and Indu Prakash Singh (Eds.). 2021. Celebrating Renuka: The Mother of Thousands of Girls. New Delhi: Originals

Indu Prakash Singh (Ed.) 2021. Women Glorified. Horrified, ...? In Search of Dignity, Equality and Justice. New Delhi: Originals (Dedicated to Renuka)

Reference:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-teachers-activists-are-working-to-stem-rising-tide-of-child-marriages/articleshow/82066401.cms

Renuka’s interview: On Dreams of PPES!
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/indu-prakash-singh-a248277_we-were-saddened-to-learn-of-the-passing-activity-6822511847787249664-H7zB

External links:

www.pardadapardadi.org

https://www.facebook.com/renuka.gupta.37

How brave Renuka was: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159344372865218&id=570390217

The ZOOM Recording of Celebrating Renuka:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159296664870218&id=570390217

(Civil Society Tribute): 2021: June 18^th
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159358126290218&id=570390217

Buddy
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159358936540218&id=570390217

She lived on her terms
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159359192455218&id=570390217

Jamia alumnus Renuka who empowered girls, homeless passes away, hubby who won Covid battle floods timeline with tell-all posts https://www.theokhlatimes.com/renuka-gupta/

TheTears: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159336585505218&id=570390217

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/city-others/renuka-gupta-child-welfare-activist-mother-figure-to-1300-girls-dies-of-virus-7320712/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bhaskar.com/amp/women/lifestyle/news/renuka-gupta-a-social-worker-from-delhi-is-said-to-be-the-mother-of-1300-girls-departed-from-this-world-due-to-corona-128508634.html

[5/21, 19:50] AAA PRAGYA The PM: https://www.bhaskar.com/women/lifestyle/news/renuka-gupta-a-social-worker-from-delhi-is-said-to-be-the-mother-of-1300-girls-departed-from-this-world-due-to-corona-128508634.html

[5/21, 19:51] AAA PRAGYA The PM: https://10tv.in/national/child-welfare-activist-renuka-gupta-dies-of-covid-19-virus-227248.html

[5/21, 19:52] AAA PRAGYA The PM: https://thewellesleynews.com/2014/11/12/ngo-shares-stories-of-girls-empowerment-from-india/

An old news about her too

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-teachers-activists-are-working-to-stem-rising-tide-of-child-marriages/articleshow/82066401.cms

https://twitter.com/ACTIVISTLAWYER/status/1394686537233682433?s=20

https://www.shethepeople.tv/coronavirus/renuka-gupta-child-activist/

https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/activist-renuka-gupta-dies/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPDESAHJrHe/?utm_medium=share_sheet