Mrinal Gore

Who was Mrinal Gore?

Mrinal Gore was a veteran socialist leader of India, and was a member of the Parliament of India. She died on 17 July 2012 at the age of around eighty-three. Her death was mourned by Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, and many other Indians.

She earned the sobriquet Paaniwali bai for her effort to bring drinking water supply to Goregaon, a North Mumbai suburb. She led many protests along with her contemporaries Ahilya Rangnekar and Pramila Dandavate. She was the leader of opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and elected to 6th Lok Sabha from Mumbai North in 1977. When she was elected MP in 1977 the same election that Indira Gandhi lost, the popular slogan was "Paaniwali bai Dilli mein, Dilliwali bai paani mein" meaning the water lady has reached Delhi but the Delhi lady is in the water. She declined the offer of health ministry by then Prime Minister Morarji Desai. She is survived by her daughter Anjali Vartak.