Padma Bhushan Awardee Ela Bhatt, Champion Of Women’s Rights, Passes Away

New Delhi: Padma Bhushan recipient Ela Bhatt passed away on Wednesday at the age of 89.

A noted women’s rights activist and lawyer, Ela was a well-known Gandhian who fought for economic empowerment of women, reported India Today.

She founded Self-Employed Women’s Association in India (SEWA) and later set up the Cooperative Bank of SEWA — India’s first women’s bank — in 1973.

In 1979, she co-founded Women’s World Banking in 1979.

“Extremely saddened by the passing away of renowned Gandhian & founder of SEWA, Ela Bhatt ji. A Padma Bhushan recipient and a pioneer of women’s rights, she devoted her life in empowering them through grassroots entrepreneurship. Her exceptional legacy shall always inspire,” tweeted Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

She was honoured with Padma Shri in 1985 and Padma Bhushan in 1986. She was also conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2011 and Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1977.

Ela was also a founding member of The Elders — a global non-governmental organization of senior statesmen, peace activists and human rights advocates brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007.