New Delhi, Friday 12 March 2010: Lok Sabha on Friday condoled the death of RSS ideologue and former member Nanaji Deshmukh who passed away on February 27 at Chitrakoot.

Speaker Meira Kumar described Nanaji as an agriculturist and well-known social worker, who toiled for realisation of the dream of total transformation in villages.

Nanaji, who died at the age of 94, was a member of the Lok Sabha from 1977 to 1979 representing the Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh. He also served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from 1999 to 2005.

“He founded the Saraswati Shishu Mandir, a chain of pre-primary and primary schools spread across India, the Deen Dayal Research Institute and the Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya in Madhya Pradesh (India’s first rural university),” Ms. Kumar said.

“We deeply mourn the loss of our friend and I am sure the House would join me in conveying our condolences to the bereaved family,” she said.

(PTI)