Uddhav Thackeray’s teacher sends SOS to CM after cyclone Tauktae

Suman Laxmikant Randive came to the Vasai old age home last year

The asbestos roof of an old age home in Vasai was blown away by Tauktae on May 17 night. One of the inmates sustained minor bruises after a window panel on the first floor of New Life Foundation collapsed. Among the over two dozen inmates at the shelter who have been left without a roof is a school teacher of political heavyweights including Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, his cousin Raj and cabinet minister Jayant Patil.

Suman Laxmikant Randive, 88, taught Maths and Science to primary children at Dadar-based Balmohan Vidyamandir until her retirement in 1991. The octogenarian said they have not been able to sleep for days as their beds got drenched.

The mattresses and the clothes of inmates were kept in the sun when mid-day visited the shelter run by a couple, Rajesh and Sarita Moro. Randive has requested her old students to get the shelter fixed soon so that they can at least have peaceful nights to sleep.

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"Ya Chakrivadalamule aamchya vruddhashramache chappar udale aahe. Aamhi sagle vruddha aslyamule ratri jopayla khup tras hoto… Macchar khup chavtat. (This cyclone has blown off the roof of our old age home. It is very difficult to sleep at night because we are old… mosquitoes bite a lot)," Randive told mid-day.

With the mattresses and beds in a mess, most of the inmates haven't had proper sleep in the past week

"Uddhav Beta, mala tujhyashi bhetacha aahe, tu Shivaji Park madhe shalet astana mi tula shikavle hote. Ithli paristhiti khup kharab jhali aahe. Krupya aamhala madat kar (My son, Uddhav…I want to meet you.. I taught you in a school at Shivaji Park. The situation here is very bad…please help us)," Randive urged the chief minister.

Randive came to the old age home last year, said Rajesh Moro. Her husband died in 2014. "My son died when he was one year old," said Randive, whom fellow inmates address as ‘teacher'.

Sarita Moro said the children of the inmates transfer money to the old age home for their parents. "We take around Rs 5,000 a month from each inmate's relatives for their food and laundry," she said, adding that they have suffered damages of Rs 10 lakh. Most of the inmates at the old age home have their children in posh areas of Mumbai including Vile Parle, Andheri and Bandra. Residents of Vasai-Nalasopara and Virar often provide food to the inmates. A local artiste and a painter brought some relief packets on Tuesday.

Caretakers at New Life Foundation said they have suffered damages of Rs 10 lakh due to Cyclone Tauktae. Pics/Hanif Patel

"When the cyclone struck, we felt helpless as we lost the cellular network. We also could not reach here as the roads were waterlogged," said Pragna Chawda, a dance teacher from Virar.

Her friend Diya Das said they have been visiting the place since the last two years and the inmates are like their extended family members.

Thackeray had invited his school teachers to attend his oath taking ceremony. "I could not attend the function as I am suffering from severe arthritis. But I do want to meet him and bless him as he is my student," said Randive.

"Children from influential families would come to the school [Balmohan Vidyamandir]. In the absence of senior teachers, I would often go to control the students of Std IX and X," recalled Randive.

1991
When Randive retired from the Shivaji Park school