President Pratibha Patil skips daughter’s hostel again
Indian Express: President Pratibha Patil has once again given a miss to a hostel for working women and girls managed by her daughter Jyoti Rathore in the upmarket Pradhikaran area in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The Umanchal Hostel, run on a no-profit, no-loss basis with an intake capacity of 215, is not on her itinerary — a fact that has sorely disappointed some of its inmates.
Earlier this year too, when the President had visited Pune, Umanchal was not on her agenda. “We hope one day my mother will visit the hostel,” Rathore said, hours after she saw her mother flying the Sukhoi fighter jet.
Set up barely four years ago, the hostel — run by the Maharashta Mahila Udyam Trust — has gained much popularity. “There is a huge demand. The rooms are always full and the waiting list keeps growing,” says hostel warden Sunanda Thakur.
Hostel superintendent MJ Patil said the spacious rooms, good ambience and easy accessibility have made it popular. According to Patil, Rathore takes an active interest in the day-to-day management. “She frequently visits the hostel and personally ensures that every thing is in order¿ She always demands samples of food and keeps a tab on its quality.”
The inmates also have their reasons. “What I like about the hostel is the cleanliness. Anytime of the day you come here and you will find,” says S Malik who hails from New Delhi and works at the Hinjewadi software park.
R Patel, a software engineer from Nashik, says she chose Umanchal after visiting nearly 10 hostels across the city. “The food was not good in some whereas some asked for high rents or deposits. Here the rent and food are fairly reasonable; besides, you get a feel of home food.”
For the poor, the hostel suits their smaller pockets. “I earn barely Rs 5,000 a month and I pay Rs 2,000 for my stay and food at the hostel. Nowhere in Pradhikaran will you will find such an affordable place,” says 23-year-old Sujata Bhirde who hails from a Sangli village.
Patil says the rent for rooms at the hostel vary from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,400, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. “Since we have hostelites from different parts of the country, we cater to every taste — be it Maharashtra pohas or southern delicacies like idli, dosa and upma.”
Nearly 170 of the inmates are from the Northern states or parts of the state.
Many of them say it would have been an uplifting experience if the President had visited the hostel. “I am from Rajasthan. I know about her Rajasthan connection. It would have been great if she had visited this place,” says S Khan.
“Had she come here, she would have felt proud about our mess that serves the best food,” says Bhirde.
Saroj Rao, a socialite staying in the neighbourhood, also had only good words to say about the hostel. “Normally, a girls hostel is a problem for neighbours. But this one is a pride of the locality.”
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