Tributes to Savitridevi Kamalnayan Bajaj and Meera Rege, who both passed way in January 2005

Savitridevi Kamalnayan Bajaj
From a World of Chandeliers to Lanterns

Savitridevi Kamalnayan Bajaj passed away at the age of 85 on January 15 at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, after battling bravely with cancer and heart problem. She was surrounded by children and grandchildren and when asked at the bedside if she had any wish or desire, she replied that she had none.

For the last decade she had lived at the top of a duplex flat with her son Shishir and daughter-in-law Minakshi at a house called Mount Unique.

She was unique in her own way. Her father, a wealthy merchant from Calcutta, decided in the early 1930’s to give his daughters an education in England. On return to India her father thought of marrying Savitridevi to Jamnalji, the eldest son of Kamalnayan Bajaj. Gandhiji called Jamnalji his fifth son and gave his approval for the marriage.

From a highly westernized background she changed to khaddar which she wore to the end of her life. She moved from her world of chandeliers to lanterns at Sevagram.

After her first two children, Rahul and Suman, were born the Quit India movement was launched and Mrs. Bajaj courted arrest. A couple of years later, when she was released, tears rolled down her cheeks when her son Rahul asked her “Aap hamari ma ho?” – Are you our mother?

Husband Kamalnayan rose to be an MP thrice elected and founded Bajaj Auto. At one point they separated but it was surprising the way a Higher-Power brought them together again after a chance meeting on an overnight train to Bombay. After that meeting her husband fell ill and she travelled daily to his home to look after him. After some days he invited her to rejoin him and for the last couple of years they were reunited until he passed away in 1972.

Mrs. Bajaj took to writing and wrote a book ‘I Write as I Feel’ providing insights into her life and those of eminent people involved in the struggle for freedom, such as Jawaharlal Nehru.

In the last months she saw only her family members but on two occasions received us cheerfully. It is these happy memories of her that my wife and I carry with us today.

Russi M.Lala
Mumbai

Meera Rege – A Shining Star

Meera Rege (March 3, 1930 to January 26, 2005) devoted most of her life to the principles of Moral Re-Armament and inspired countless people with her whole hearted devotion to others. Many people who were lucky enough to count Meera as
a friend have their own stories to tell of her life and her work. Here we publish four tributes from some of those closest to her.

Meera Ramkrishna Rege passed away on Republic Day after bearing for years the strains of illness without a word of complaint. She was the youngest of five, her four brothers much older than herself. She grew up with some diffidence about her capabilities. It was needless, for when the day was done and night fell, it is her star that shines the brightest of all.

She had a strong sense of duty. She poured herself out looking after her family including her in-laws. She had a strong sense of giving and a remarkable lack of any demand on others. The last years brought her husband Ram and her much closer. That he dedicated his autobiography ‘Two Lives in One’ to her is a testimony to this. They had two children, daughter Leena and son Vijay. Just over two years ago Vijay was killed in a car accident. It was a traumatic experience to face for which she drew upon her spiritual reserves. Her faith in God and high moral principles was unquestionable.

As time went on her chest condition deteriorated. About a year ago it seemed as if the end was near but she miraculously turned the corner. Since then she was on oxygen for about 10 hours a day. Yet she was a gracious receiver of guests and remained a loyal friend. When Rajaji was asked to write his autobiography by his dear friend Sadashivam, he held his friend’s hand and said, “When saints and sages have not written their lives, who am I? Our job is to do our duty and go.” That is exactly what Meera did. Now the fragrance of her life lingers in the lives of those who knew her.

When I first heard of her death these lines from Wordsworth’s Skylark came back to me::

‘Type of the wise who soar but never roam –
True to the kindred points of Heaven and Home’

Russi Lala
Mumbai

In 1963/64 the International Musical Revue, Space Is So Startling toured through many Indian cities. Pune was one of the cities in which the Revue was shown and we were in the city at the time. Among the first people we met was Mrs. Meera Rege, her husband Lt. Col. R. N. Rege and their two children, Leena and Vijay. During 1965 and 1966 a series of training camps for youth were held in Maharashtra, including at Panchgani and the Rege family took full part in these events.

In 1966 when Rajmohan Gandhi and the Trustees of Friends of Moral Re-Armament (India) decided to create the Centre at Asia Plateau, the Reges wholeheartedly supported and joined in the creation of the Centre.

For us, Meera became a much loved friend and fellow-worker. She was always ready to take on the most difficult, even impossible, things which we attempted. For 40 years she remained regularly in touch wherever she and Ram might be, whether in India, Fiji or twice in Europe. We dared together, we made mistakes at times, but she never lost her commitment to the things to which God had called her. Her honesty and her caring spirit helped to build a team of people who worked together because they were friends. We treasure the memories of working with her and her family and felt honoured to be part of their family at the wedding of Leena in 1975.We salute her life and work and pray that God will give us grace to continue in her tradition. May her soul rest in peace.

David & Margot Young
Brighton, UK

Everyone who knew my mother remembered her for her warm welcoming smile, for the constant care and love she so selflessly lavished on others. And yet, there were experiences in her childhood which could have left her an embittered person if she had so chosen.

She lost her father when she was one year old. The rest of the family had to move from their village near Mangalore to Bombay which became home thereafter. They had very little. They were ill-treated by some relatives. However, she did not allow the hurt from her childhood to govern her later life. In fact when she came across the ideas of MRA, she decided to forgive those who had been unfair to her mother, her brother and herself. And that forgiveness was total. She even apologized to them for having felt bitter at the time. I understood the meaning of unconditional love from her. She was an embodiment of love and she gave it freely.

Some of the best memories she had of Bombay were of her dancing school and the friends she had there. She was trained in the Manipuri style of dancing and later even taught it. She also learned singing and their dance and music school was an ‘adda’ (meeting place) for the renowned singers of the day. The friends that she made during that time have remained friends to this day. Later in life she learned the sitar and played it in the orchestra of the MRA musical Song of Asia. She was creative in other ways too. She taught herself knitting, water colour painting, cooking and a variety of crafts. She completed her BA with Economics and French, doing the final year after her marriage.

As an Army Officer’s wife, she adjusted to a roving life, having to move with each posting every two - three years. She made friends wherever she went, found some social work to do, cared especially for the under-privileged, enjoyed getting to know the cultures and people of different parts of India and she loved having people into their home.

When she met the idea of MRA in the 1960s, she found in it what she was looking for – an idea and a fellowship where she could deepen her spiritual life and also reach out to other people to bring positive change in society. She was faithful to the core ideas of MRA till the end. No wonder there were over 70 messages of appreciation and gratitude for her life from 16 countries apart from the Indian ones.

After living a very active and outgoing life, always serving others, selfless and undemanding, in the last few years of her life she had to bear the blow of her son Vijay’s accidental and untimely death and her own lung ailment which left her greatly debilitated. She accepted these with serenity and could bear them because of her deep faith in the Almighty.

Today she is in another world, free from her bodily pain, a bright and peaceful soul, I imagine. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude to have had a mum like her. She has left us with a legacy that I cherish deeply and will always carry her in my heart.”

Leena Khatri
Asia Plateau, Panchgani

Our grandmother is the closest thing to an idol that we will ever have. She was always an inspiration, and if one could emulate even some of the ways in which she approached life and people, one would be a better person for it.

The great thing about her, well, one of the countless many, is that she was always attentive to others’ needs and it is pretty safe to say that those who met her came away with a warm feeling of having just spent time with someone who really cared for them. Meera Maushi to many, Ami to us, cared for everyone, often at her own expense. The family joke was that you “did an Ami” if you gave up something you may have wanted in favour of someone else who may want it. Even as she weakened, she would go off into the kitchen to make something special that she knew one of us liked.

In the days she was in the ICU, instead of worrying about herself, she would be asking the nurses, physiotherapists and doctors attending her about their families and how they were. She must have been grossly uncomfortable with all the hospital equipment in and around her, yet her first thought was for those around her. She won the hearts of many.

Her creativity was endless -the innumerable sweaters, jumpers, scarves, dresses, hats she made for us; her delicious cooking made with so much love and care; the bedtime stories which she would make up on the spot for us; all the creative pieces of art hung around the house; the wonderful songs that she wrote and ensured we sang with the right emphasis – all resound with her inspired energy!

Ami took meticulous care in ensuring that everything was done right and she had a prayerful spirit in everything that she undertook.

Her silent strength, selfless caring, gentle vigour, and joyful wholeheartedness abounded.

The many messages that have come since she left us say things like: ‘the epitome of Indian grace and hospitality’, ‘an encounter with her always left one enriched’, ‘the most beautiful lady’, ‘a mother in a million’, ‘a caring soul’, ‘a saintly person’, and many expressing their sorrow at the passing of their ‘best friend’ – never has such praise been more well deserved. She is already missed sorely.

It is difficult to capture the essence of such a soul in so few words. Indeed ten thousand words would not be enough. Ami remains one of the greatest persons we know. She is remembered with much love, and we hope to carry and live the lessons we have learnt from her words and actions.

Aparna and Namita Khatri
Fiji Islands