Page 61 - NIS English 01-15 October, 2025

Vijayaraje Scindia | PERSONALITY

Embodiment

of Affection

A Decisive Leader

and Efficient

Administrator

Birth: 12 October 1919 | Death: 25 January 2001

The life of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia, a confluence of patriotism, simplicity, and humanity,
was wholly dedicated to ideology, principles, and public service. Despite coming from a royal
family, she devoted herself to the welfare of society and service to the nation. Staying away
from the lure of position and power, she lived as a ‘Rastrasevak’ and set high ideals in politics.
During the Emergency, she endured many hardships to restore democracy, yet remained
constantly engaged in the struggle. She was not only an embodiment of motherly affection
(Vatsalya Murti) but also a decisive leader and an efficient administrator — one of those rare
individuals who dedicated their entire life to public welfare and national service...
A and quietly walked away. The next morning, he came
yatra was underway from Kanyakumari to
to know that during that journey, she had personally
Kashmir. It must have been during Decem-
gone to the rooms of all 30-40 people accompanying
ber or January, a time when it was extremely
cold.Around midnight, between 12 and
handed each one a glass of warm milk at around 2 a.m.
1 AM, the yatra reached Shivpuri, near Gwalior in them—including the driver and the workers—and
Madhya Pradesh. Due to the weariness from the day, That man, to whom Vijayaraje personally gave milk on
the people participating in the yatra would go to their that freezing night, was none other than the current
accommodations, bathe, and sleep so they could get Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. He has never
ready early in the morning. It must have been around forgotten that moment—what a mother’s love feels
2 AM. One of the participants in the yatra was getting like, what true affection means—because he experi-
ready to sleep after bathing when suddenly someone enced it that night. It is the good fortune of this nation
knocked on the door. When the person opened the that great souls like Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia have
door, Rajmata Vijayaraje was standing there. nurtured this land with their sacrifice and penance.
The person was surprised to see the Rajmata in the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia used to say, “I am not the
biting cold of the night. He bowed respectfully and said, mother of one son; I am the mother of thousands of
“Mother, at this hour of the night...?” Vijayaraje gently sons. I am completely drowned in their love.” Vijayara-
replied, “Son, why don’t you have some warm milk and je Scindia, who considered every citizen of the country
go to sleep?” She handed him a glass of turmeric milk as her family, dedicated her entire life to the service of

October 1-15, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 59