"I was deeply saddened by the news of the sudden passing away of Nirmala Deshpandeji in the early hours of this morning. Nirmalaji was a living Gandhian. She dedicated her life to the cause of the poor, the down-trodden and the marginalized in our society, as a true Gandhian. She was deeply committed to creating a good society based on Gandhian values of simplicity, decency and honesty.

She was a leader of people and she led by example. The peace march she organised in Orissa after the terrible murder of Graham Steins inspired many and symbolized her commitment to human life and secular values. Nirmalaji's activism saw her going beyond the struggle launched by Acharya Vinoba Bhave for 'Bhoodan', to offering Satyagraha for securing the rights of landless labourers who were allotted land.

The Nation had the privilege of honouring her with a Padma Vibhushan and we were also proud to honour her with the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award. Her voice was heard with respect by one and all in the Rajya Sabha. Nirmalaji also contributed to peace-building in our region, by going beyond our frontiers to spread Sadbhavana and worked to establish goodwill and peace among neighbours. Her work at the Gandhi Global Peace Centre at Gandhi Ashram in Delhi is testimony to her deep commitment to the ideas and ideals of the Father of our Nation.

I convey my heartfelt condolences to millions of her followers and admirers and hope that her life will continue to inspire young and old alike in our fight against poverty, ignorance and disease and our struggle for a just and equitable society."