India

Sewing Machine Gift from Nana Patekar’s Foundation Revitalised Life of Beed Woman

By PTI

The Naam Foundation, founded by veteran actor Nana Patekar and Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure, has helped families in drought‑hit Beed district build livelihoods through sewing machines, livestock and water conservation. Rajashree Asaram Pardeshi of Arvi village in Shirur Kasar tehsil said that when her husband, a construction worker, was left bed‑ridden after a fall, the responsibility of running the household fell to her. About ten years ago, the foundation gave her a sewing machine, which enabled her to hem sarees and stitch blouses, earning her roughly ₹400 to ₹500 a day and about ₹10,000 a month. She said the machine was the reason she could rebuild her life with dignity.

Pardeshi, who spoke to PTI after Patekar’s sudden death at his Goa residence on Thursday, said touching the machine brought back memories of the actor who had brought Lakshmi into her home. She described him as a guardian angel.

The foundation’s work in Beed began in 2015 when consecutive droughts caused a surge in farmer suicides. Patekar and Anaspure responded by providing women with sewing machines, flour mills and livestock to create small income‑generating enterprises. The Naam Foundation later expanded its focus to long‑term rural development, including watershed management.

In addition to livelihood projects, the foundation has carried out extensive water‑conservation work. In the Pimpalner belt of Beed tehsil, it desilted and widened a 34‑km stretch of the Riddhi Siddhi river, after which the state government built four small check dams benefiting 14 villages and enabling multi‑season crop growth. The foundation also cleared silt from nullahs, streams and reservoirs across the district. According to district coordinator Shivram Ghodake, these efforts have brought nearly 10,000 hectares under irrigation, helping about one lakh farmers.

With Patekar’s passing, many families in Marathwada’s drought‑stricken hinterland mourn the loss of an elder who restored dignity and self‑reliance to their lives. The district, now facing another severe drought, feels a painful vacuum as villagers once relied on the Naam Foundation for support during crises.