Evening star., 1952-09-21

pdI tlCu1dIly IklOSS UGVOC6O 10 CIlllO
care and planned parenthood, are
the chief interests Of Mrs. Gagan-
Wharf L. Mehta, wife Of the new
Ambassador esignate from India.
The Mehtas arrived in this coun-
try Monday on the Queen Eliza
beth and reached Washington
Wednesday.
| Mrs. Mehta Is a petite (5 feet,
inch) woman with grey hair and
brown eyes. The mother of three
daughters. all grown. she has been
active in her own country for
many years in various types Of
welfare work.
She comes to this country not
only as the wife Of the Ambassa-
dor. but. in her own right, as the
representative Of the All-India
Women's Conference to the United
Nations and its afnliated groups.
/ At the U. NJ. as in this country.
generally, she hopes to concentrate
her interest on the problems Of
children and birth control.
Disciple Of Margaret Sonqer
Her interest In the latter subject
was sparked by Margaret Sanger.
its world-famed American advo-
cate, who brought her crusade to
India in 1885. After meeting Mrs.
Sanger in Calcutta. Mrs. Mehta
became one Of the founders Of the
birth control center there. one Of
the first in all India.
"Only we called it the Marriage
Welfare Association. We didn't
mention birth control, because
those words were quite unpopular
in my country" the ENJOYS wife
recalled last week. when inter-
viewed the day after her arrival.
Opposition to the movement.
which came mainly from govern
ment leaders who thought it would
encourage immortality, has greatly
lessened now. the diplomats wife
declared.
To indicate how the movement
has grown since, Mrs. Mehta cited
the fact that q large city like
Bombay now has about 80 centers.
However, her countrywomen
have not yet progressed to planned
parenthood. which Is why she
wants to investigate the system
here. she said.
The women come to us after
they already have had i've or six
children and don't want to have
any more" she declared. ST want
to look into this system where you
plan in advance before the first
one is born"
Infant Welfare, Too
Mrs. Mehta's interest in child
welfare grows out of the years she
spent establishing and working in
clinics for babies and small chill
ldren. Here the mothers were
given milk and orange Juice for
their infants. and taught hygenic
methods of child care. They also
were taught simple handicrafts.
THE clinics were a part of the well
fare program of the Indian leader,
the late Mahatnfa Gandhi, and
harlan (untouchables) and chill
dren Of higher castles were all
cared for together-a quite un-
usual procedure for the India of
that day, 20 years ago.
When the Mehtas moved from
Calcutta to Bombay In 1947 Mrs.
Mehta did adult education work.
teaching women to read. She be-
Ilieves very staunchly in education
land has seen that all three of her
daughters earned college degrees.
This respect for education was
linstilled in her by her mother, who
was the first woman graduate Of
bombay University. and who made
lsure that all seven Of her children
Iwere college educated.
In 1850. when she and her fam
lily moved to Delhi. Mrs. Mehta's
lpenchant for welfare work tool
Ianother turn. This time she de.
Ivoted herself to a home for way.
lward girls.
| Despite her preoccupation will
welfare matters, Mrs. Mehta die
mot specialize in these subjects II
lcollege. Her major was SanSkrit
1.-THE ancient Hindu language. which
lshe says she chose because sh'
wanted to read Indian literatur,
In the original.
Hopes to Siehtsee
In addition to the worthy prof
Iects she plans to investigate. Mrs
Mehta also hopes to do some plail
sightseeing while in this country
The city Of San Francisco ant
niagara Falls are both on her mus
Hist. the former on the recon-
lmendation Of two Of her daugh.
tiers who attended college in thi'
country. They told her it wa,
''the most beautiful city in tn,
world"
The Ambassador probably will
lgo along on the sightseeing jaunts
He has been in this country just
Ionce before. to attend an inter-
national conference in 1914. This
| Is Mrs. Mehta's first visit. She ac-
lcompanied her husband to Europe
in 1887. when he attended another
conference.
| The couple visited the Empire