Women’s rights activist Ela Bhatt passes away: Was honored with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Roman Magsaysay Awards, died at the age of 89

Elaben did many remarkable works for women.

Elaben Bhatt, the founder of Seva Sanstha, passed away at the age of 89. Gandhian Elaben breathed his last at Ahmedabad hospital on Wednesday. Elaben has been honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1977, Right Livelihood Award in 1986 and Padma Bhushan. She did many remarkable works for the employment of women.

Ilaben Bhatt with South African social worker Nelson Mandela.

Service organization was established in 1972
Elaben Bhatt was born on 7 September 1933. She was a social worker, leader of the cooperative movement. She founded an organization called Swashrayee Mahila Seva Sangh (Seva) in 1972 and served as its general secretary from 1972 to 1996. She was involved in many movements related to international labor, women’s issues. Elaben Bhatt was married to Ramesh Bhatt in the year 1956. His two children Amimayi (1958) and Mihir (1959) live with the family in Ahmedabad.

File photo of Elaben Bhatt with husband Rameshbai.

Elaben gets respect
1. In June 2001, Teiman was awarded a doctorate in the humanities by Howard University. He was also awarded the Tej degree by Georgetown University in 2012. Université Libre de Bruxelles – Belgium also awarded him a doctorate degree. He also holds doctorates from Yale and the University of Natal.
2. In 1985 he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India and in 1986 he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. He received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1977 and the Right Livelihood Award in 1984.
3. Awarded with the Niva Peace Prize in 2010, for the empowerment of poor women in India.
4. In November 2010, Yu. She was awarded the Global Fairness Award by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for improving living standards and bringing freedom to over one million poor Indian women.
5. Awarded the prestigious Radcliffe Medal on 27 May 2011 (Red Cliff Day) for the work of upliftment of women in the society.
6. She was awarded the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize in 2011 for her lifelong contribution to women’s empowerment and independence.
7. In June 2012, Yu. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called him her role model. She had said- ‘There are many heroes and heroines in the world and Ela Bhatt is one of them who started the Swashrayee Mahila Seva Sangh (Seva) in India many years ago.’