Bapu was father to innumerable men and women and the guru of many. There were many t whom he ministered as doctor or even as nurse. He was a dear friend to many colleagues, countless people looked up to him as their redeemer. Al this is aptly included in the term “Father of the Nation”. For me, however, he was mother. Generally it is not possible for a man to become a mother to any one because he has not been endowed by God with a mother’s loving heart. But Bapu appropriated for himself a share of even this divine gift. So Bapu mothered me. He had, no doubt, brought up quite a number of girls but to me he often sa, “Have I not become your mother? I have been father to many but only to you Iam mother. – By Manubehn Gandhi