Durgabai Deshmukh

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Durgābāi Deshmukh (July 15, 1909 - May 9, 1981) was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi in India's struggle for freedom from the British Raj, and a prominent social reformer.

Durgabai was born in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India.

For Durgabai's participation in Gandhi-led Satyagraha activities, British Raj authorities had imprisoned her three different times.

In 1937, Durgabai founded Āndhra Mahilā Sabhā (Andhra Women's Organization) in Madras (Chennai). The organization currently runs two hospitals, an orthopedic center, two colleges, three high schools, and some literacy projects. She was the President of the Blind Relief Association in Delhi, and in that capacity, she set up a school-hostel and a light engineering workshop for the blind.

Durgabai was a member of India's Lok Sabha. She was instrumental in the enactment of many social welfare laws. She was a member of in the Planning Commission, and in that role, she mustered support for a national policy on social welfare. The policy resulted in the establishment of a Central Society Welfare Board in 1953. As the Board's first chairperson, she mobilized a large number of voluntary organizations to carry out the Board programs, which were aimed at education, training, and rehabilitation of needy women, children, and the handicapped. She also founded the Council for Social Development in New Delhi.

For her long social service in India, Durgabai received Paul G Hoffman Award, Nehru Literacy Award, UNESCO Award (for outstanding work in the field of Literacy), and Padma Vibhushan award from the Government of India.

Durgabai was married to C.D. Deshmukh, who served as Finance Minister in India's Central Cabinet during 1950 - 1956. (Both, C. D. and Durgabai received Padma Vibhushan awards in the same year, 1975, for their respective contributions in public affairs and social work.)