HGNJanell4801 at 13:27, 13 February 2026

2026-02-13T13:27:49Z

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{{short description|Indian social worker}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bimla Poddar
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1936|08|28}}
| birth_place = [[Varanasi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2025|05|14|1936|08|28}}
| death_place =
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername =
| occupation = Social worker, philanthropist
| yearsactive =
| known for = Philanthropy
| spouse = Bimal Kumar Poddar
| domesticpartner =
| children =
| parents =
| website =
| awards = [[Padma Shri]]
}}
'''Bimla Poddar''' (28 August 1936 - 14 May 2025) <ref name="tt">{{ cite web| title= A guiding light who will forever live in our hearts (a family Ad) | url= https://epaper.telegraphindia.com/calcutta-edition/29/2025-05-16/page-5.html| website = [[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]] |access-date=16 May 2025}}</ref> was an Indian social worker, businessperson, philanthropist and the founder of ''Jnana Pravaha'',<ref name="Jnana Pravaha">{{cite web | url=http://www.jnanapravaha.org/campus-in-varanasi.php | title=Jnana Pravaha | publisher=Jnana Pravaha | date=2015 | access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="Kamat">{{cite web | url=http://www.kamat.com/umbrella/suresh_neotia.htm | title=Kamat | publisher=Kamat | date=2015 | access-date=1 March 2015}}</ref> affectionately known as Bari Ma.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Bimla Poddar, breathes her last in Varanasi on May 14 at the age of 88 |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/kolkata/bari-ma-bimla-poddar-breathes-her-last-in-varanasi-on-may-14-at-the-age-of-88-prnt/cid/2100547}}</ref>

== Early & Personal life ==
Bimla was born and brought up in [[Varanasi]], in the Indian state of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. She was married into a rich business family to late Bimal Kumar Poddar.<ref name="Neotia family">{{cite web | url=http://www.ambujaneotia.com/aboutus/history-of-the-group.aspx | title=Neotia family | publisher=Neotia family | date=2015 | access-date=1 March 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620141104/http://www.ambujaneotia.com/aboutus/history-of-the-group.aspx | archive-date=20 June 2016 | url-status=dead}}</ref> She was also known for her deep passion for classical music.<ref name=":0" />

== Work ==
Bimla used to hold the directorship of many of the family concerns<ref name="Zauba Corp">{{cite web |date=2015 |title=Zauba Corp |url=https://www.zaubacorp.com/director/BIMLA-DEVI-PODDAR/00002429 |access-date=1 March 2015 |publisher=Zauba Corp}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite web |date=2015 |title=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=61135264 |access-date=1 March 2015 |publisher=Bloomberg}}</ref> which includes [[Ambuja Cements]].<ref name="Neotia family" /> Jnana Pravaha is a [[Varanasi]] based centre for cultural studies founded by Poddar with Suresh Neotia, engaged in the efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of India.<ref name="Varanasi">{{cite web |date=2015 |title=Varanasi |url=http://www.varanasi.to/index.php/cool-places/441-art34 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090438/http://www.varanasi.to/index.php/cool-places/441-art34 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=1 March 2015 |publisher=Varanasi}}</ref> Under the aegis of the organization, Poddar was involved in activities related to exploration of [[Indian Culture|India's culture]]<ref name="Benares: Bayly and the Making of World History">{{cite web |date=2015 |title=Benares: Bayly and the Making of World History |url=http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/research/conferences/current-pdfs/bayly-conference-programme |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402113303/http://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/research/conferences/current-pdfs/bayly-conference-programme |archive-date=2 April 2015 |access-date=1 March 2015 |publisher=Jnana Pravaha}}</ref><ref name="IndiaColor: Spirit, Tradition, and Style">{{cite book |author=Melba Levick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dApCPMobDlAC&q=Bimla+Poddar&pg=PA176 |title=IndiaColor: Spirit, Tradition, and Style |publisher=Chronicle Books |year=2008 |isbn=9780811853163 |pages=175}}</ref> and maintained a heritage museum housing artifacts from ancient India.<ref name="Kamat" /><ref name="Times of India">{{cite web |date=26 January 2015 |title=Good Samaritans among UP's 6 Padma awardees |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Good-Samaritans-among-UPs-6-Padma-awardees/articleshow/46015653.cms |access-date=30 April 2017 |newspaper=Times of India}}</ref>

== Awards & Recognition ==
She was honoured by the [[Government of India]] in 2015 with [[Padma Shri]], the fourth highest Indian civilian award.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |date=2015 |title=Padma Awards |url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=114952 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128022143/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=114952 |archive-date=28 January 2015 |access-date=16 February 2015 |publisher=Padma Awards}}</ref>

== Death ==
Bimla passed away in Varanasi on May 14, 2025, just a few months before her 89th birthday in August. She was cremated in Varanasi.<ref name=":0" />

==See also==
* [[Tarachand Ghanshyamdas]]
* [[Culture of India]]
{{Portal|India|Society}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | title=IndiaColor: Spirit, Tradition, and Style | publisher=Chronicle Books | author=Melba Levick | year=2008 | pages=175 | isbn=9780811853163}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Social Work}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poddar, Bimla}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in other fields]]
[[Category:Scholars from Varanasi]]
[[Category:Indian philanthropists]]
[[Category:Indian industrialists]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:Social workers from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Women educators from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Educators from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women scientists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Businesswomen from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Varanasi]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian businesswomen]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women educators]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educators]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]

{{India-business-bio-stub}}

Bimla Poddar - Revision history

HGNJanell4801 at 13:27, 13 February 2026