Page:Hyderabad in 1890 and 1891; comprising all the letters on Hyderabad affairs written to the Madras Hindu by its Hyderabad correspondent during 1890 and 1891 (IA hyderabadin1890100bangrich).pdf/131

, 20th July, 1891.

I very much regret to have to record the death, at Edinburgh, on the 2nd Instant, of Mrs. Littledale, for some time the Head-mistress of the Hyderabad Zenaua School. She was an extraordinary lady in many respects, and under favourable circumstances she might have been of immense service to the Indian society and might have left a name and example not easily to be forgotten. Blessed with an extremely liberal minded father she passed her early years away from the mischievous influences of the Hindu nursery, amidst very enlightened surroundings and up to the close of her short life she remained a vivid expression thereof. Her letters written to her brother, studying in England, while only 13 or 14 years of age, and one on the Hindu society published over her signature by the "London Spectator" sometime after that reveal her to be, if not a genius, at least one who, had her lot been cast in England, could have influenced the minds of her generation' considerably. And if her marriage with an Englishman was possible at a time when Hindu conservatism was much more powerful than now, it was because of the rare moral courage she showed as much as of the liberal-mindedness wich enabled her father Dr. Atmaram Pandarang, to withstand the onslaughts of custom and bigotry. But unfortunately this marriage proved unhappy, and left Mrs. Littledale very little of the will to do may useful work. She came to Hyderabad when the Zemana School was started in connection with the Hyderabad branch of the National Indian Association,—and if with the Nawab lmadul-Mulk Bahadur, the Director of Public Instruction, originated the idea of this unique institution, to her wholly belongs the credit of working it out. Her way of making lessons interesting as well as her manner attracted pupils; and she was loved by her "girls" as she used to call the pupils of her school, as much as she was respected and admired for her cleverness" by all that knew her. She was compelled by continued ill-health to resign her appointment and leave for Bombay and therefrom to England; but we little thought when she left us that in a few