BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

PATEL, SHRIMATI URMILABEN CHIMANBHAI

B.A., M.A., B.Ed., Ph.D (Sociology); I.N.C.(Gujarat); d. of Shri Shah Premanand Nathalal and Shrimati Narmadaben Premanand Shah; b. at Baroda, March 5, 1932; ed. at (i) SNDT, University of Baroda, (ii) M.S. University of Baroda (iii) Gujarat University and (iv) Gujarat Vidyapeetha, Ahmedabad; m. Shri Chimanbhai Patel (since deceased), June 3, 1948; 2 s. and 1 d.

Social Work and Cultural Activity; Principal of Sardar Vallabhbhai Arts College and Professor of Sociology at the College for the last 32 years; organized a number of Youth Leadership Camps in Gujarat; organising and promoting educational and social upliftment activities through active association with leading voluntary trusts/organizations of repute in Gujarat; actively involved in organizing and managing the entire gamut of social upliftment activities and programmes, particularly for the weaker sections, ranging from operating several projects under the Integrated Child Development Schemes in the tribal and backward areas to Adult Education, Family Counselling and Self-employment for Women, Rehabilitation of Physically and Mentally Retarded Children, Drug De-addiction Programmes, including running of Counselling Centres and De-addiction Clinics; promoting national integration and communal harmony as Chairperson of Bharat Ekta Andolan (Gujarat Branch) and for popularising of national language as Vice-President of Rashtriya Bhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha (Gujarat Branch); Organiser, Youth Leadership Camps in Gujarat; Managing Trustee/Chairperson/President, (i) Shri Vallabbhai Educational Foundation, (ii) Mangal Prabhat Trust, (iii) Gujarat Kalavani Trust and (iv) Dr. Ambedkar Trust; President, (i) Women's Action Group, (ii) Women's Cricket Association of Gujarat,(iii) Indian Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention and (iv) Gujarat Paryavaran Suraksha Trust; Vice-President, (i) Indian Association of Parliamentarians for Population and Development (IAPPD) and (ii) Asian Forum of Parliamentarians for Population and Development (AFPPD); Secretary-General, International Council for Prevention of Drug Abuse; was member, (i) Senate of Gujarat University, (ii) Executive Council in the Gujarat University, (iii) Dean of Arts Faculty of Gujarat University, (iv) Narmada Abhiyan, an activist working in favour of Sardar Sarovar Dam Project, (v) Indian Council for Child Welfare, (vi) Indian Council for Social Work and (vii) General Body of the Central Social Welfare Board; Member, Committee on Food, Civil Supplies and Public Distribution; attended, (i) the World Ecological Conference, Brazil, 1992 (ii) two international conferences on community education at Ireland and Kenya (iii) international conferences on prevention of drug abuse at Brisbane, Japan and Kuala Lumpur (iv) International Conference on Population and Development and Food Security, Geneva (v) Fourth World Conference on Women at China as a Member of Indian Parliamentarians Delegation, 1995 and (vi) International Conference of Parliamentarians on Gender, Population and Development, Tokyo,, 1995; Union Minister of State for Power, 1995-96; elected to the Rajya Sabha in August, 1993.

Clubs : Vice-President/President of Women's Cricket Association of Gujarat; Executive Member of the Experiment in International Living.

Travels abroad : U.S.A., U.K., Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Kenya, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland and China.

Publications : Authored text books in Sociology, Civics as well as General Education and published large number of articles and research papers on educational and social issues, including child labour, problems faced by woman and matters relating to development of backward classes; Developing Communities of Gujarat - a study in the change of conditions of untouchables; World Food Bank.

Special interest : Study of educational and social systems of different countries and communities.

Favourite pastime and recreation : Travelling, sight-seeing and reading.

Permanent address : Revaranya, Opposite Yogashram Society, Shreyas Tekra, Near Manekbagh Hall, Ahmedabad-16.