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A Salute to My Father – Tatu Nana Nanavare Date: 16th April 2025 (His Death Anniversary) By Dr. Rajendra Nanavare, Chest Physician

A Salute to My Father – Tatu Nana Nanavare Date: 16th April 2025 (His Death Anniversary) By Dr. Rajendra Nanavare, Chest Physician

Published On: April 15, 2025

A Salute to My Father – Tatu Nana Nanavare
Date: 16th April 2025 (His Death Anniversary)
By Dr. Rajendra Nanavare, Chest Physician
Today marks 30 years since my father passed away. On this occasion, I wish to pay heartfelt tribute to his life, his struggles, and his selfless journey.
We, his children, affectionately called him “Abba.”
Abba was born on 15th August 1916. He lost his father when he was just around 10 years old. Due to this early loss and family hardships, his education was cut short, and by the age of 12, he had to begin working as a porter in a shipping company in Mumbai.
But through sheer hard work, determination, and intelligence, he honed his skills and rose to become a highly skilled technical mechanic, respected and admired for his expertise. He served the port diligently for 44 years and retired at the age of 62 with pride and dignity.
My grandfather (Abba’s father) was a contractor at the Mumbai port in the late 1890s. He was responsible for loading and unloading cargo from ships. Though the business was large, my grandfather was deeply spiritual, a true devotee of Lord Vitthal of Pandharpur. Every Saturday, he organized free community meals (bhandara) in Vitthal’s name. Because of this generosity and spiritual devotion, he never focused on accumulating wealth. As a result, the family began facing financial difficulties, and after his death, my father had to leave school and begin working to support the family.
Abba was an example of rising above adversity with dignity.
Despite poverty, he and my mother raised four children in an environment filled with values, not luxury. There was a 12–13 year age gap between the second and third child, a sign of how difficult those years were. Yet they never compromised on honesty or moral values. They gave us a legacy of integrity, hard work, and compassion.
Abba was a staunch follower of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. He had the rare privilege of meeting Babasaheb three times:
1. First, when he was around 16 years old, he was sent by his fellow workers as a representative to Rajgruha (Dr. Ambedkar’s residence). There, in the presence of hundreds of books, he greeted him with “Jai Bhim” and presented their concerns. Dr. Ambedkar then addressed and guided over a hundred workers.
2. Second, during a train journey, a co-passenger introduced Abba to Dr. Ambedkar by saying, “He is a diesel mechanic,” and Babasaheb nodded with acknowledgement.
3. Third, at a public rally in Ambedkar Maidan, Worli, Abba again saw him speak during the movement leading up to the historic mass conversion at Diksha Bhoomi.
Abba and my mother helped many students and job seekers — quietly, without ever asking names or expecting thanks. I still remember: on the day of my mother’s death, a man came to our house and said, “Your mother once paid my exam fees without even asking my name.” That was the kind of giving, selfless people they were.
Abba was not just a father to us, but a guide and supporter to many extended family members. He helped several relatives get jobs in the Mumbai Port and shipping industries. His philosophy was: “As you rise, lift others with you.” Because of this, many families found financial stability and purpose.
He was truly skilled in his work, and even more exceptional as a human being. He left a deep impression on my life. To be honest, I was more interested in engineering, but it was his dream that I should become a doctor. He lovingly insisted I pursue that path. When I was just 9 or 10 years old, he placed me as a helper under a GFAM-trained doctor during my Diwali and summer vacations — without any pay — just so I would learn and grow in the medical field. That experience shaped my future.
On this death anniversary – 16th April 2025 – we, the family, have decided to honor his memory by organizing a free meal service at Gadge Maharaj Dharamshala, where cancer patients from outside Mumbai stay while getting treatment at Tata Cancer Hospital, Parel. Just as his father once fed the poor in Lord Vitthal’s name, we wish to continue that spirit of giving.

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