Chandigarh,3 Apr:Today, to pay homage to departed Senior Gandhian Peace Activist and Member Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Dr. Nirmala Deshpande, popularly known as Didi, a Condolence Meeting was organized by YUVSATTA and Peace Club of Dev Samaj College of Education, Chandigarh. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister of State for Finance & Parliamentary affairs, Chaired and Pardeep Chhabra, Mayor, Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh Co-chaired the meeting.Remembering Didi, when she visited Dev Samaj College of Education four years back on Hiroshima Day Function Kumari Satyawati, Chairperson, Dev Samaj Institutions said that Didi’s message of Girl Child friendly society and her wish that her last rites should be performed by a girl signifies that behind a small & petite exterior of Didi hid a resolve of steel.
Shri Onkar Chand, Chairman, Servants of the People’s Society talked about years he and Didi spent under the leadership of Vinoba Bhave, travelling thousands of kilometer, covering the length and breadth of the country in Bhoodan Yatra-a march for asking gift of land for landless peasants, in which 45 lac acres of land was donated by rich farmers for their poor brethren.
Recalling his three decade long association with Didi Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal said that the sudden demise of Padma Vibhusan Nimala ‘Didi’ has created a void in peacemaking efforts in critical conflict areas in the country and in South Asia. The country has a lost a conscience keeper. He further said that Vinoba ji’s mantra of ‘Jai Jagat-Victory of the World’, which Didi was spearheading, is becoming more and more relevant today. Indian sages have always regarded mother earth as one family ‘Vasudhev Kutumbkamb’, now, it for us and younger generation to take a lead, to rise above caste & creed, colour or race prejudices and be a true citizen of the world, working for a world family!
Mr. Parmod Sharma, Coordinator, Yuvsatta said that in Didi they have lost a true patron, who was instrumental in giving them the idea of PEACE CLUBS in Schools, introducing Indo-Pak Students Peace Camps and serving the marginalized.
Prominent amongst those who spoke and participated in the condolence meeting were Dr. Shashi Jain, Director, Dev Samaj Institutions, Naturopath & Gandhian Activist Dr. SS Goindi, PC Sanghi, Chairman, FOSWAC, Mr. Vikas Chatrath & Madhu P. Singh, Advocates, High Court & Prof. Manjit Singh, Secretary, Panjab University Teachers Association.