Over the past fifteen days, I had the opportunity to interview two remarkable women, both deeply rooted in Wardha’s soil and known for living their lives guided by thought, principle, and purposeful action — Dr. Priyanka Narnavare, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Thane, and Dr. Arundhati Bhalerao, who has carved out her own identity in Thane’s cultural world through her talent and determination.

Both these women, whose intellectual and cultural foundations were shaped in Wardha — a small town sanctified by the footsteps of Vinoba Bhave and Mahatma Gandhi — have chosen paths that seek answers to the burning issues of society and bring relief to the oppressed, donning the uniform (of service) in that pursuit.

Due to circumstances, Dr. Arundhati could not fully explore her passion for acting, but she kept that spark alive within her. Later, she opened the doors of elocution, anchoring, and acting to countless homemakers — women who had forgotten their artistic talents and lost their self-confidence after their school and college days.