Leela Moolgaokar, was born on October 10, 1916. The wife of Sumant Moolgaokar, former Chairman of TELCO (now Tata Motors Limited) was and a distinguished person in her own right.

Starting as a radiographer at the ST. George’s Hospital, Mumbai, Leela Moolgaokar pioneered the voluntary blood transfusion service in India. She was appointed as the Honorary Organiser for the blood bank scheme of the Government of Maharashtra from 1954 to 1970 and from 1975 till her death. In recognition of her selfless service to this cause, she was appointed by the President as Special Officer on Duty for Blood Transfusion Service of the Directorate General of Health Services, New Delhi, in 1964. This post was upgraded to Assistant Director General for Blood Transfusion Service.

She was instrumental in starting the Federation of Bombay Blood Banks in 1980 with the idea of evolving a uniform code of conduct as regards collection, utilization and benefits to be extended to voluntary blood donors, and to carry out research in blood transfusion.

Leprosy was another area in which she worked ceaselessly. The plight of persons suffering from this disease moved her immensely and she managed, through the good offices of the late Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, to repeal the Indian Lepers Act, 1898 in Maharashtra, which restored human dignity to leprosy patients. She was also appointed a Member of the National Leprosy Commission in 1984 for preparing a blue print for eradication of this disease in India. As President of the Society for the Eradication of Leprosy, she visited various hospitals in Bombay dressing and attending to the wounds of leprosy patients.

Leela Moolgaokar was appointed Chairman of the Tata Relief Committee in 1961 at the time of the Panshet Dam disaster. She personally supervised the relief operations during the Koyna earthquake in 1967, the floods in Bihar, the Maharashtra drought in 1972, the tidal wave in Andhra Pradesh in 1977 and the 1992 floods in Raigad District.

During her tenure as the Sheriff of Bombay in 1975-76, she personally looked into the problems of women in jail and ensured that basic amenities were given to them.

She consistently worked for the upliftment of women and children as Chairman of Central Social Welfare Board, Government of India (1979-80), and as Chairman of Bal Varsha Pratishthan.

She was honoured by the Rotary Club of Bombay with the “Citizen of Bombay” Award in 1986. The Rotary Club conferred this Award on her in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion of the blood bank movement, and her concern and work for the leprosy-affected as also the socially neglected sections of the people.