Durgabai Deshmukh

Durgabai Deshmukh
Deshmukkh on a 1982 Indian stamp
Born(1909-07-15)15 July 1909
Rajahmundry, Madras Presidency, British India (now Andhra Pradesh, India)
Died9 May 1981(1981-05-09) (aged 71)
Narasannapeta, Andhra Pradesh, India
Alma materMadras University
Spouse
​
(m. 1953)​
AwardsPadma Vibhushan

Durgabāi Deshmukh (née Gummididala, 15 July 1909 – 9 May 1981) was an Indian freedom fighter, lawyer, social worker and politician. She was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and of the Planning Commission of India.[1]

A public activist for women's emancipation, she founded the Andhra Mahila Sabha (Andhra Women's Conference) in 1937. She was also the founder chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board. In 1953, she married C.D. Deshmukh, the first Indian governor of the Reserve Bank of India and Finance Minister in India's Central Cabinet from 1950 to 1956.[2]

  1. ^ "Unending devotion to social welfare".
  2. ^ "The Iron Lady". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)