Srinagarindra, Princess Mother

Princess Srinagarindra (; ; 21 October 1900 – 18 July 1995) born Sangwan Talapat 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. In Thailand, she was affectionately called Somdet Ya, "the Royal Grandmother". The various hill tribe people, to whom she was a special patron, called her Mae Fah Luang, "Royal Mother from the Sky" or "The Heavenly Royal Mother". Early life 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.