1. Nirmala Deshpande was a noted Indian social activist who had embraced Gandhi and philosophy.
19 Facts About Nirmala Deshpande
1. 2.
Nirmala Deshpande devoted her adult life to the promotion of communal harmony and service to women, tribal people, and the dispossessed in India.
3.
Nirmala Deshpande was awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award of India in 2006.
4.
Nirmala Deshpande's father was the recipient of a Sahitya Akademi Award in 1962 for his work in Marathi Anamikachi Chintanika.
5.
Nirmala Deshpande did MA in political science from Nagpur, India, Nirmala Deshpande studied Fergusson College, Pune.
6.
Nirmala Deshpande recognized that it was difficult to practice Gandhian principles, yet believed that doing so was the only way towards a truly democratic society.
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Nirmala Deshpande was involved or associated with many other social organizations and bodies.
8.
In 2006, Nirmala Deshpande championed clemency for Afzal Guru, who had been convicted of a terrorist attack on Indian Parliament in 2001.
9.
Nirmala Deshpande visited many cities in the United States of America on a tour organized by a prominent Indian American from Lansing, Michigan in the last few years of her life.
10.
Nirmala Deshpande was member of a Rajya Sabha, when she died in her sleep in the early hours of 1 May 2008, in New Delhi at the age of 79.
11.
Nirmala Deshpande continually worked for harmony between India and Pakistan.
12.
Nirmala Deshpande wrote a commentary on Isha Upanishad and a biography of Vinoba Bhave.
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Nirmala Deshpande founded the magazine Nityanutan and started its publishing in 1985.
14.
Nirmala Deshpande was a nominated member of Indian Rajya Sabha two times during August 1997- August 1997 and during 24 June 2004 to 2010.
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Nirmala Deshpande's name was considered for the Indian Presidential position in 2007.
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Nirmala Deshpande received the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award and the Padma Vibhushan title in 2006.
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Nirmala Deshpande was a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
18.
Nirmala Deshpande ji received first Banarsi Das Gupta "Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar" on 5 November 2007 in a function, present to her by Vice President of India Sh.
19.
Nirmala Deshpande was conferred the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan's third highest civilian honors, on 13 August 2009; the eve of Pakistan's Independence Day.