Nation loses veteran Gandhian Sushila Nayar

Nation loses veteran Gandhian Sushila Nayar
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

NAGPUR, JAN 4: Maharashtra joined the nation in condoling the death of veteran gandhian and the country's first woman minister Dr Sushila Nayar, who died of old age at her residence in Wardha on Wednesday evening.

She was 86.

State Governor Dr P C alexander in his condolence message said that``in the passing of Dr Sushila Nayar, the nation has lost one of the last few surviving torch-bearers and practicioners of Gandhian philosophy and ideals.''

``Her loss will be felt not only by the institutions she served but indeed by the entire state of Maharashtra which has been the main scene of her activities in the last few years and by the whole nation, which she served with such rare dedication and distinction'', he added.

Affectionately called ``Behenji'', Dr Nayar was not not keeping well for the past few days and her condition worsened further on Wednesday when she breathed her last.

She had actively participated in the `Quit India' movement and later the `Bhoodan' movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave in free India.

Affectionately called ``Bahenji'', Ms Nayar was not keeping well for the past few days. As her condition began to fail yestereday, Sewagram Medical College Dean Dr O P Gupta and other senior doctors rushed to her residence, but the aged Gandhian could not be saved.

Born on December 26, 1914, in Kunjah village, now in Pakistan, Ms Nayar who obtained her MBBS degree from Punjab University, did her postgraduation from the John Hopkins University, USA, before plunging herself in the freeedom movement.

Bahenji was placed under detention during the Quit India movement, she took active part in Gandhi's programmes for peace and communal harmony. Later she joined the Bhoodan movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave at Wardha and led a padyatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in 1956-57.

Dr Nayar was honoured with ``desikouttama'' award by Vishvabharati University, Shantiniketan, in 1955 and``Amol Prabha Das'' Award by the Assam Government in 1996.

He said Dr Nayyar, who came under the tutelage of Mahatma Gandhiat a very young age, continued to live a life dedicated to those ideals. Later on she took upon herself to keep alive the flame of gandhian thought and action involving herself in the gandhian way of social change and rural reconstruction.