Aroti Dutt
Our Founder President Aroti Dutt (1924–2003) entered the realm of social work through her marriage to the son of Gurusaday Dutt, a renowned reformist, among other things. In 1958, she won a scholarship to do a Diploma in International Social Welfare at the Institute of Social Studies at The Hague, The Netherlands. She received her Diploma for her paper “Social Welfare Planning for low-income countries” in 1959. Apart from working for Saroj Nalini Dutt Association which was started by her father in law, she was also associated with several other women’s organisations.
She was-
• Founder President of the Soroptimist International Club in Calcutta;
• First National President of Soroptimist International of India; and
• Founder President of the Inner Wheel Club of India;
• Founder President of the Countrywomen’s Association of India;
• World President of the Countrywomen Association of the World 1965, and was re-elected unopposed in 1968.
• Associated Countrywomen of the World elected her a “Member of Honour” 1983
She had also been – Member of the Central Social Welfare Board 1978–80; Member of the West Bengal State Social Welfare Board since 1988; Chairman of the Family Planning Association for West Bengal;President & Trustee of the Bengal Bratachari Society;Vice-Chairman, Gurusaday Dutt Folk Art Society, Gurusaday Museum; Patron of the National Indian Association of Women; President of the Sylhet Union; as also served on various Committees of the Central and State Governments.
She wrote extensively in Bangla. In English, she authored a travelogue ‘Over the Rainbow’, which covers fragments of her life story and gives us glimpses of the philosophy which drove her.