Padmabhooshan Shrimathi Tarabai Modak was a pioneer of preschool education in India. She was born in Gujarat in 1892. She was motivated by Gijubhai Badeka’s work in preschool education. They prepared necessary literature for the trident teachers and started a training college for pre primary teachers in 1925, which proved to be first training college for pre primary teachers in India.

In 1931, the movement of preschool education was extended by Tarabai to Maharashtra. There was a criticism that preschool education was meant only for children of rich. She took that as a challenge and conducted successfully a Balwadi in a Harijanwada at Amaravathi in Maharashtra.

In 1936, she started Shishu Vihar Kendra at Bombay, which served as a centre of Pre School Educational training. In 1945, she moved to Bordi & founded Gram Bala Shiksha Kendra. Later shifted to Kosabad, tribal area in 1957, where she tried her method son most neglected tribal children. A Balwadi indigenous nursery school.

She started two types of Balwadi’s at Bordi. They are Central Balwadis and Angan Balwadis. The Central Balwadis were run during regular school hours. Angan Balwadi’s were started at the convenience of children.