Srinagarindra

Princess Srinagarindra (ศรีนครินทรา; ; 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) born Sangwan Talapat (สังวาลย์ ตะละภัฏ; ) was a member of the Royal Thai Family.

She was part of the House of Mahidol, which is descended from the Chakri Dynasty and was originated by Prince Mahidol Adulyadej.

She was the mother of Princess Galyani Vadhana, the Princess of Naradhiwas, King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII), and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) and was the paternal grandmother of King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X).

Her formal name and title was Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Boromarajajonani (สมเด็จพระศรีนครินทราบรมราชชนนี).

In Thailand, she was affectionately called Somdet Ya (สมเด็จย่า), "the Royal Grandmother".

The various hill tribe people, to whom she was a special patron, called her Mae Fah Luang (แม่ฟ้าหลวง), "Royal Mother from the Sky" or "The Heavenly Royal Mother".

Sangwan Chukramol was born on 21 October 1900, in Nonthaburi Province.

Her family was of Thai Chinese descent.

By nine years old, Sangwan's parents and her older brother and sister had all died, leaving her and her younger brother, Thomya, to the care of their aunt.

Her aunt and guardian, Suay, earned a living by making sweets and rolling cigarettes.

Sangwan's mother had taught her to read before passing.

With this skill, Sangwan enrolled at an all-girls school of Wat Anongkharam, a nearby temple whose abbot recognized the needs for the girls to have a proper education.

She then studied at Suksanari, leaving the school after only a month due to the lack of funds.

Nonetheless, she maintained her reading habits by regularly visiting her aunt’s friend who ran a library of books for rent.

She had read a number of Thai classics, such as Inao, Phra Aphai Mani, and Sangsilchai.

At the suggestion of a relative, Sangwan was sent to live with Chan Saeng-xuto, another relative and a nanny to Princess Valaya Alongkorn, the Princess of Petchaburi, daughter of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and Queen Savang Vadhana (later Queen Sri Savarindira, The Queen Grandmother).

At the age of seven, Sangwan found herself at the royal court.

Her only duty at that time was to present herself at a twice-daily audience with the princess—when she woke up, and again in the evening.

Every now and then, she would join the princess's entourage when she went for an audience with her mother, Queen Savang Vadhana, at Suan Hongsa Royal Villa on the grounds of Dusit Palace.

Shortly afterwards, she was sent to Satri Wittaya School, while she lived with Huan Hongsakul, the nanny of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, the Prince of Songkla, the younger brother of Princess Valaya Alongkorn.

After an accident with a sewing needle, Sangwan was sent to Lord (Phraya) Damrong Baedyakhun, the court physician for surgery.

She stayed at his house while continuing her schooling at Satri Wittaya School.

Sensing that she was feeling listless and unhappy, he asked her if she would be interested in studying nursing.

Sangwan answered at once that she would be.

Siriraj Hospital had opened a school of midwifery and nursing, but despite the minimum requirement of being able to read and write, had not been able to attract many students.

As a further incentive, each student was paid 15 baht per month, sufficient to live on for the entire month.

Sangwan enrolled as a student of Siriraj School for Midwifery and Nursing in 1913, when she was thirteen.She was two years younger than the minimum age limit, but the school still accepted her based on her credentials.

For her passport, Sangwan needed a surname, the use of which was not a regular practice in Thailand until 1913 during the reign of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI).

As her father was dead, she took the surname of Lee Talaphat, who was in the service of Prince Mahidol Adulyadej.

Her surviving younger brother registered himself as Thomya Chukramol.

She was a scholarship recipient who agreed to work for the hospital for three years in exchange for the 15 baht per month that would cover her living costs.Upon graduation in 1916, she joined the nursing team at the hospital.

The following year, Prince Rangsit Prayursakdi, the Prince of Chainat (son of King Chulalongkorn and adopted son of Queen Savang Vadhana, half-brother of Princess Valaya Alongkorn and Prince Mahidol Adulyadej), director of the Royal Medical College of Siriraj Hospital, selected two doctors and two nurses to further their studies in the United States.

These scholarship students were expected to return to teach future generations of medical students and advance the medical profession in Thailand.

The medical scholarships were provided by Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, then a first-year student at Harvard Medical School, while the nursing scholarships were provided by his mother, Queen Savang Vadhana.

One of the two nurses selected was Sangwan.

Her preparations for this trip included a six-month intensive English course with Miss Edna Sarah Cole, headmistress of Kullasatri Wang Lang School for girls (later to become Wattana Wittaya Academy).

Sangwan Talaphat left Bangkok on 13 August 1917 on the ship Kuala with almost 20 other Thai students.

The trip took them to Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Hawaii, and after six weeks, the group reached San Francisco.

From there, she went to live with an American family, the Adamsens of Berkeley, California, for a year, attending Emerson School with her friend Ubol Palakawongse na Ayudhya, a member of the nobility.

She also attended Sunday school to learn the ways of the Christian faith.