Numerous women came at the crematorium to pay their final respects to Ela Bhatt, the founder of the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA). They chanted, "Darek Ben, Elaben!" (Every woman is Elaben), demonstrating the influence the 89-year-old had on the group of women who benefited from her work over many years and gained respect and a means of subsistence.
The funeral for Ela Bhatt, who passed away last week after a brief illness, was held after luminaries from a variety of professions, including art, architecture, politics, and Gandhianism, joined the family in grief.
Amrut Modi, secretary of the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT), said that Ela Bhatt was trustee of the trust since 2014, and was made chairperson in 2016. “She always upheld Gandhian thoughts in her work and insisted on taking everyone along in any decision. The Sabarmati Ashram family would always remember her,” he said. She continued to be the chairperson of Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in Gujarati “Sad to know about the death of Elaben Bhatt. She will be remembered long for her work for the promotion of women empowerment, social service and education among the youth. Condolences to her family members and admirers.”
After completing her law degree, she joined Mahatma Gandhi inspired Textile Labour Association (TLA), India’s oldest labour union, in 1955. At the time, TLA was led by a freedom fighter Anasuya Sarabhai. After fighting for workers in the organized sector, Ela Bhatt founded SEWA in 1972 to advocate for ‘unprotected labourers’ in the informal sector, who constituted 89% of the workforce back then. A majority of such workers were poor women. In 1974, Ela Bhatt set up a cooperative bank to provide micro loans to women. She went on to co-found Women’s World Banking (WWB), a global network of microfinance organizations, of which she was the chairperson from 1984 to 1988.
In her final years, Ela Bhatt became the second woman chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith, an institution founded by Mahatma Gandhi. Her resignation was accepted last month.
