Mrunalini Devi Puar facts for kids
Mrunalini Devi Puar (born June 25, 1931 – died January 2, 2015) was an important Indian educator. She was the first woman to become a chancellor of a major Indian university. This university had over 35,000 students!
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Her Life and Work
Mrunalini Devi Puar was a teacher and a Maharani (a queen or princess) of Dhar State in India. She belonged to two important royal families: the Gaekwad dynasty from Baroda State and the Puar dynasty from Dhar. Both of these were once princely states, which were like small kingdoms in India before it became fully independent.
She was married to Maharaja Anand Rao IV Puar, who was the ruler of Dhar State.
Becoming a University Leader
Mrunalini Devi Puar became the chancellor of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. A chancellor is like the head or leader of a university. She took on this important role in 1988 after her brother, Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad, passed away. He was also a Maharaja of Baroda.
She was 83 years old when she became chancellor. It was a very special moment because she was the very first woman to lead a recognized Indian university with so many students.
Her Education Journey
Mrunalini Devi Puar was trained as a dietician, someone who knows a lot about food and nutrition.
- She earned her first degree (B.Sc.) in Home Science from Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara.
- Then, she went to the United States. She got her Master's degree (M.S.) in food and nutrition from Iowa State University.
- Later, she returned to Vadodara, India. She completed her Ph.D. (a very high-level degree) in food and nutrition from the same Maharaja Sayajirao University.
Continuing a Family Tradition
The Gaekwad family, which Mrunalini Devi Puar was part of, had a long history of supporting education. She proudly continued this tradition by serving as the university's chancellor.
She also taught at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda for about 12 years before she became its chancellor.
Other Important Roles
Mrunalini Devi Puar was involved in many important groups:
- She was a member of the Commission on Education and Training for a group called IUCNNR in Switzerland. This group works to protect nature.
- She was the Chairperson for the Food & Nutrition Programme Committee for a group called IFHM in France. This group focuses on home economics.
- She also helped the Indian government with nutrition planning.
- She was part of many other organizations that worked on education and social issues.
Her Passing
Mrunalini Devi Puar passed away on January 2, 2015, after a short illness. She was 83 years old.
See also
- Gaekwad
