For The Greater Good

A journey is not measured by the time taken to reach the destination, but by the experience one gains along the way. Manju Lodha started off as a homemaker. Today, the matriarch of the Lodha family heads the Lodha Foundation, a charitable trust that works for the betterment of society at large.

- Meera Acharekar

In 1960, the traditional Marwari family of Kishormalji and Sitadevi Lunkad welcomed Manju Lunkad (now Lodha) into their midst. Mumbai had become home to this family, who had left their village of Bhinmal in Rajasthan to build a new life in this city. They would eventually set up Lunkad Constructions in 1970. As a young girl, Manju Lodha saw her father persevere to build his company. She also learnt the importance of social service from him and her mother. These formative years left a mark on her. The experience she gained also came handy when the Lodha Foundation (registered as Lodha Charitable Trust) was established in 2007.

Humble beginnings

Manju Lodha is the eldest of three siblings in the Lunkad family. She attended the Sitaram Podar Balika Vidyalaya in Kalbadevi, Mumbai, till the fifth standard. At the time, the school had the reputation of being the best school for girls in the area. Later, she pursued her education at the Marwari Vidyalaya in Girgaum, which was run by Prarthana Samaj. She then continued her studies at Sophia College. However, she had to discontinue her education while she was in her BA first year.

Her marriage to Mangal Prabhat Lodha changed the course of her life. Lodha, who hailed from Jodhpur, shifted to Mumbai soon after marriage. The main reason for the relocation was that Gumanmal Lodha (Mangal Prabhat Lodha’s father) had become a judge in Jodhpur, which had Mangal Prabhat Lodha opt for a change of career. He felt that it would be ethically incorrect for him to continue as an advocate while his father presided over court proceedings as a judge.

New beginnings brought about new challenges. From a mansion in Rajasthan, the family had to suddenly adjust to living in a 1 BHK apartment in Byculla, Mumbai. A change in career also meant that Mangal Prabhat Lodha had to put in two years of extensive research to figure out what to do next. The family had to start from scratch.