New Delhi, Aug 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Sunday conferred the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award to noted Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Singh said that through her life and through her work, Nirmalaji has been striving to create a new value system for establishing a good society.

"All of us were impressed by the peace march Nirmalaji organised in Orissa after the terrible murder of Graham Steins. It symbolized her commitment to human life and secular values," said Dr. Singh.

Commending Deshpande's work, Dr, Singh said that she went beyond Acharya Vinoba Bhave's Bhoodan Yatra and offered Satyagraha for securing the rights of landless labourers who were allotted land.

"Nirmalaji has gone beyond our frontiers to spread Sadbhavna and has striven hard to establish goodwill and peace among our neigbours. She has been involved in organizing many meets and conferences to establish people to people contact between India and Pakistan. Such a crusader of peace, amity and understanding richly deserves the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavna Award", Dr. Singh said.

Nirmala Deshpande has recently been conferred with the India's second highest civilian honour Padma Vibhushan award, and her latest social initiative includes development of Gandhi Global Peace Centre at Gandhi Ashram Kingsway Camp in Delhi.

The award, which carries a citation and rupees 2.5 lakh in cash, includes Mother Teresa, Former President K R Narayanan, Shehnai maestero Ustaad Bismillah Khan, singer Lata Mangeshkar and actor-turned politician Sunil Dutt as its previous recipient. (ANI)