Nirmala Despande cremated today

New Delhi, May 2 : Dr. Nirmala Despande, Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha, who died on Thursday morning, was cremated today.

Several eminent personalities including Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi attended the last rites.

The noted Gandhian and social activist was not keeping well for the past three days, and she died in her sleep. She was 79. Better known as 'Didi', she was conferred the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in August 2006.

Deshpande has also been conferred with the Padma Vibhushan Award, the second highest civilian honour, in January 2006, for her social initiative including development of Gandhi Global Peace Centre at Gandhi Ashram Kingsway Camp in Delhi.

In 2005, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

ANI