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There’s something elemental about motherhood. The kind that makes a woman lift impossible weights, wait up through long nights, or stare down the world when her child is in trouble. It’s not always defined by blood. Sometimes, it’s shaped by fierce love and sacrifice that turns strangers into family.
That same instinct is what fuels Shantabai Balu Pawar, an 88-year-old woman in Pune who has taken on the role of protector and provider for 20 orphaned children. Every single day, she takes to the streets performing the traditional martial art of lathi-kathi, and uses the money she earns from these performances to feed, clothe, and educate the children who now depend entirely on her.
These children call her 'aaji' (grandmother). To them, she’s a guardian, provider, and their one true constant. She cooks for them, makes sure they go to school, and shields them from the kind of desperation she has known too well. "Till the time these kids have their aaji, they will not have to worry about going hungry," she told Times Of India.
She's been doing this for decades, since she was a child herself. Born into a poor family, Shantabai began performing lathi-kathi, a traditional Indian stick-fighting art, and tightrope walking at the age of eight. Her skills took her across the country and even into films. She had a role in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and walked the tightrope in 'Sherni' and 'Tridev'. A proud moment for her was a photograph with Sridevi, one of the few she has left after her albums were lost.
But fame never changed her. When life pressed hard again, during the pandemic especially, Shantabai returned to lathi-kathi. Her son lost his job. Their savings dried up. And through her skills she became the only earning member of her household. But her real concern wasn’t herself. It was the 20 children she has taken under her wing, with no homes, no families, and until they met her, no protection from the chaos and dangers of the streets.
In 2020, after a video of her performance went viral, support poured in. Celebrities like Sonu Sood and Riteish Deshmukh reached out. With help from donors and artist Aishwarya Kale, Shantabai even set up a small martial arts school for children. But the pandemic stalled that dream. She’s back on the streets now, raising money not just for daily needs but a permanent home, a real shelter for the kids who depend on her.
They say that the things you pour your time and love into, whether skills, hobbies, or passions is always comes back to you in some way. Even if life pulls you away from them for a while, they find their way back to you. Which is also what happened with Shantabai. Her lifelong mastery of martial arts and stick fighting became the very tool she used to care for the children she’s dedicated her life to. Her story is about the reclamation and rediscovery of purpose and service, not just as an enrichment of one's own life, but a way to transform the lives of others as well.
True Hope Foundation has set up a fundraiser to support Shantabai’s mission and provide food, education, and shelter for the children under her care. Every donation goes straight to providing these kids with the resources they need to build a safer, more hopeful future.
