In a Noble Gesture, Mumbai’s First Lady Collector Leaves Behind Her House for Scientific Research

She was Mumbai’s first lady collector, but the former IAS officer had a great interest in the fields of science and medical research. So, even in her death, she ensured that her possessions were used for scientific research.

Sharwaree Gokhale, who lost a three-year battle to stomach cancer last year, left behind her apartment in Mumbai’s Andheri (West) area for brain research. In her will, she stated that the apartment has been bequeathed to the Centre for Brain Research (CBR), which is an autonomous body under the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru.

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“She underwent treatment for nearly three years, which included chemotherapy and a surgery. But when Sharwaree realised that she was losing her battle to the disease, she did extensive research for over six to eight months on how her money could be put to good use. She would say my money should remain in my country and used for scientific research,” former home secretary of Maharashtra and her friend Chandra Iyengar told PTI.

Despite being urged by her friends to donate all her property and money to NGOs, the 1974 batch IAS officer decided to donate it to the CBR – an institution she thought will put it to good use.

Officials from the research centre have said that the donation will help them in enhancing their knowledge of the human brain, especially in the area of age-related brain disorders.

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“In her will, Ms. Gokhale donated a major portion of her estate to CBR. Her contribution would help progress our understanding of the most complex organ that we know of – the human brain,” the CBR said on its website.

The former bureaucrat, who is described as someone with very strong likes and dislikes, has a brother based in the United States.

The documents will be verified after which the process of transferring the property will be initiated.

The CBR helps in fostering research programmes and building capacity for inter-disciplinary neuroscience research in the country. You can know more about them here.

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