When nine-year-old S G Susheelamma walked up to a school stage to collect a donated book for poor children, a thought quietly took root in her mind — that someday she herself would be the one giving. It took her decades, a factory job, a broken family, Rs 15, and an unshakeable will.But over five decades of social service, Susheelamma, who is in her late 80s, has not just kept that promise but has nurtured it to a big tree helping thousands of destitute women and children across the state. Fondly called ‘Mother Teresa of Karnataka’, Susheelamma continues her mission to shape the lives of the needy.Susheelamma was born to the Chamarajpet couple Ganeshappa and Chennamma on May 24, 1939.A well-to-do family pushed to poverty“My father was into weaving industry, and ours was a wealthy family then. Things changed overnight soon after Independence when the India-Pakistan Partition hit the industries sector, including the weaving industry, as the raw materials costs shot up in a short time. From a well-to-do family, we just turned poor in months,” she says.From a well-to-do family who once helped the local people, Susheelamma was now at the other end. Studying at Vani Vilas Government School, she was one of the students who stood to collect donated books for the poor. “When I went to receive the book on stage, one of the teachers announced that the books were being sponsored from old students’ funds. It struck my head. I then vowed to myself to join work and help the students of the same school through my earnings,” she says.After completing Class 12 (Pre-University Education), she started working in the REMCO factory, now known as Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, as an operator in 1959 and worked there till 1968. Then, she worked as a supervisor for the creche till 1973 at the same place.During this time, Susheelamma was married with three children and had lost her father. “It was a time when I was attracted towards spirituality, and I was unable to handle my family. I wanted to serve society, and I put my children in a hostel to keep me engaged in social activities. There were times when my eldest brother asked me to drop the idea, but I was committed to the cause of empowering women as I had seen their plight in the past,” she says.How Sumangali Seva Ashrama was bornStory continues below this adIn 1975, Susheelamma founded Sumangali Seva Ashrama with a capital of just Rs 15, along with her friend Kanthamma.A year prior to the opening of the Ashrama, she started working as a warden-cum-teacher at Bhuvaneshwari Mahila Samaja, where she started working towards the education of orphaned children and abandoned women.Today, the Ashrama houses 100 children, 50 destitute women, and also operates an old age home for senior citizens at Cholanayakanahalli in RT Nagar.But the beginnings were not a smooth sail. “Initially, we did not have money. Our aim was to provide employment to women and teach them skills to remain financially independent. Education is the crucial tool to do it. But as time passed, we realised there were more factors which had kept women in the dark,” she said.Story continues below this adThe first major project Ashrama was involved in was in 1978, when the Karnataka State Social Welfare Advisory Board provided them with funds to improve the conditions of marginalised women and children. “Look back today, I feel it as a miracle. We had moved to a rented house to keep the children safe and educated, and there were a lot of apprehensions about our work. But as support poured in over the years, the Ashrama started to expand its activities,” she says.Tailoring courses, handloom productionFrom what started as providing education, Ashrama started training women with tailoring courses, handloom production, homes for the aged, family counselling, hostels for working women, working at primary health centres to help rural women with medical facilities, an earn-while-learn programme, rural health and hygiene awareness camps, forming self-help groups, an entrepreneurship programme for women, and many more.The first recognition to Sumangali Seva Ashrama came in 1985 when they were felicitated with the National Award for Child Welfare.It was around 1988-89, when the Karnataka State Literacy Mission Authority was established to implement adult literacy across the state. Then, the government turned to Susheelamma, given the network that her Ashrama had in rural areas, especially with women.‘I may look soft, but I am tough’Story continues below this adCiting an example, Susheelamma says that women have always wanted to be educated, but society merely encouraged it. “We had done a survey of literacy rate among women in a village in Chitradurga, and after implementing it, we found only 5 per cent of the women had cleared it. We decided to make some tough decisions and needed to bring results. I may look soft, but I am tough and have strong willpower,” she laughed.Then, Sumangali Seva Ashrama chose a village in the Dakshina Kannada district, luring the women with an offer. “We told the women, if they complete the literacy programme successfully, we shall get them a toilet in each house so that they don’t have to go out for open defecation. In six months, we got very good results. By then, some sponsors had come forward, and we constructed toilets for each house,” she recalls.Having completed 50 years, Susheelamma says that it was not a cake walk. “We had a lot of fights, litigations, court cases, threats through government officials, and others. But nothing really mattered as my team and I were clear with the vision and goal,” she says.Asked if she ever felt let down, given the troubles she faced for at least in the first few decades, Susheelamma asserts, “Never ever.”Story continues below this adSusheelamma’s efforts began to be recognised post-1990s, and funds began to flow. Some of the donors included the British High Commission, M S Ramaiah Hospital, India Abroad Foundation, Sairam Trust in the UK, and many more.“Those who studied at Ashrama and are doing well in their life are helping us to grow bigger and are also engaged in our activities. Remember, the book I got from the old students’ funds when I was in Class 9, our students are now doing at a large scale for Ashrama,” she says.This Republic Day, Susheelamma was felicitated with the Padma Shri. “I did not expect the award but I am happy that the government has recognised. But what made me happier was that I would be receiving it from President Draupadi Murmu, a woman who also has navigated a tough path,” she said.