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{{Short description|Indian philanthropist (1915–1994)}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dayawati Modi
| image =
| image_size = 200px
| birth_place = [[Kasganj]], [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]], [[British India]]
| birth_date = 1915
| death_date = {{death year and age|1994|1915}}
| occupation = Philanthropist
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Gujarmal Modi]]|1932}}
| children = 11, including [[Krishan Kumar Modi|Krishan]] and [[Bhupendra Kumar Modi|Bhupendra]]
}}

'''Dayawati Modi''' (1915–1994) was an Indian philanthropist. She was the wife of industrialist [[Gujarmal Modi]]. She was referred to as ''Maji'' as a sign of respect and gratitude. She provided educational opportunities to women and children in [[Modinagar]] and elsewhere. She is the grandmother of [[Lalit Modi]], the founder of the [[Indian Premier League]] (IPL).<ref name=Forbes>{{cite web|last=Schwartz|first=Peter|title=The World's Hottest Sports League|url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/08/27/cricket-india-ipl-business-sports-ipl.html|work=Forbes|accessdate=23 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="The Economic Times">{{cite web|last=Mukherjee|first=Shubham|title=Lalit will head family flagship, says father|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/lalit-will-head-family-flagship-says-father/articleshow/5862278.cms|work=The Economic Times|accessdate=23 January 2014}}</ref>

==Personal life==

Dayawati Modi was born in [[Kasganj]], a small town in [[Uttar Pradesh]]. Her father was Chheda Lal. She lost her mother at the age of three.<ref>{{cite web|title=DAYAWATI MODI (1915–1994)|url=http://www.streeshakti.com/bookD.aspx?author=2|publisher=Stree Shakti- The Parallel Force|accessdate=3 March 2014}}</ref> She was not formally educated, however she had a penchant for literature, which led to her reading many books stored in her uncle's attic. This contributed to her work with philanthropy in the education sector. On 19 June 1932, Dayawati Modi married [[Gujarmal Modi]] at the age of seventeen. This was Gujarmal Modi's second marriage, after his first wife died due a prolonged illness. Dayawati lived with her father initially, as Gujarmal set about establishing his business in erstwhile Begumabad. Thereafter, the couple had eleven children, five boys and six girls.<ref>{{cite book|last=Jha|first=Rama|title=Choice India|date=November 1985|publisher=Rama Jha|location=Delhi|pages=3–7|url=http://issuu.com/modigroup/docs/choice_india}}</ref> - K.K Modi, V.K Modi, S.K Modi, B.K Modi ([[Bhupendra Kumar Modi|Dr. M]]), U.K Modi.

==Awards and recognition==

* 1982– Shiromani Award for Sikh Studies<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to Dayawati Modi Public School|url=http://dmpsraebareli.in/|publisher=Dayawati Modi Public School|accessdate=4 March 2014}}</ref>
* 1983– Kala Sangam Award
* 1986– Bharat Seva Ratna by World Religious Parliament
* 1978– Included by Cambridge University in their Who's Who of Intellectuals for the year.<ref>{{cite web|title=DAYAWATI MODI (1915–1994)|url=http://www.streeshakti.com/bookD.aspx?author=2|publisher=Stree Shakti- The Parallel Force|accessdate=3 March 2014}}</ref>

==Philanthropy==

Modi catered to women and children's issues in the mid-1950s. In 1954, she founded the ''Samaj Kalyan Parishad'' at [[Modinagar]], which provided welfare services to women and children, such as giving them access to education, vocational training and other allied support services.<ref>{{cite book|title=Samaj Kalyan Parishad|location=Modinagar|url=http://issuu.com/modigroup/docs/samaj_kalyan_parishad}}</ref> In honour of her philanthropic contribution to society, her family instituted three awards: ''Dayawati Modi Kavi Shekhar Samman'', the ''Dayawati Modi Award for Art, Culture and Education'' and the ''Dayawati Modi Stree Shakti Samman''. Recipients of these awards include the [[Dalai Lama]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Ayesha|title=Dalai Lama honoured with Dayawati Modi Award|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/article229985.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308152510/http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/article229985.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 March 2014|accessdate=3 March 2014|newspaper=The Sunday Standard|date=4 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dalai Lama honoured with the Dayawati Modi Award |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/north/story/dalai-lama-honoured-with-the-dayawati-modi-award-147808-2011-12-04|access-date=3 March 2014|newspaper=India Today|date=5 December 2011}}</ref> Kent Walwin,<ref>{{cite news|title=Dayawati Modi Award to Kent Walwin |url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/dayawatimodiawardtokentwalwin/539681 |accessdate=3 March 2014 |newspaper=The Financial Express |date=10 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303161559/http://www.financialexpress.com/news/dayawatimodiawardtokentwalwin/539681 |archivedate=3 March 2014 }}</ref> and [[Amitabh Bachchan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Dayawati Modi Award for Art, Culture & Education|url=http://www.iifaindia.org/award_dayawati.html|publisher=International Institute of Fine Arts|accessdate=3 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dayawati Modi award for Menon|url=http://www.sunday-guardian.com/artbeat/dayawati-modi-award-for-menon|accessdate=3 March 2014|newspaper=The Sunday Guardian|date=16 November 2013|archive-date=3 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303173216/http://www.sunday-guardian.com/artbeat/dayawati-modi-award-for-menon|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Dayawati Modi Award For Art, Culture And Education For 2013|url=http://www.moneyindices.com/detail_news.php?id=1665|publisher=Money Indices|accessdate=3 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006095749/http://www.moneyindices.com/detail_news.php?id=1665|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Dayawati Modi Foundation Honours Paresh Maity |url=http://www.businessworld.in/news/after-hours/art/dayawati-modi-foundation-honours-paresh-maity/653842/page-1.html |publisher=Business World |accessdate=3 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303160813/http://www.businessworld.in/news/after-hours/art/dayawati-modi-foundation-honours-paresh-maity/653842/page-1.html |archivedate=3 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dayawati Modi Award for Padamsee|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/18/stories/2007111854520800.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120102123/http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/18/stories/2007111854520800.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 November 2007|accessdate=3 March 2014|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=18 November 2007}}</ref>

After her death in 1994, the philanthropic work has been continued by the Dayawati Modi Foundation.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Modi Enterprises}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Modi, Dayawati}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Kasganj]]
[[Category:People from Modinagar]]
[[Category:Modi family|Dayawati]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian philanthropists]]

Dayawati Modi - Revision history

Rspalmora at 06:40, 6 December 2025