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Dr Usha Mehta cremated in Bombay

The mortal remains of octogenarian Gandhian leader Dr Usha Mehta, who passed away Friday night, were cremated Saturday at a state funeral in Bombay.

A large crowd had gathered at Mani Bhavan, a place frequented by Mahatma Gandhi during his visits to the city, where the body was kept to enable people to pay their last respects.

Among those who attended the funeral were Defence Minister George Fernandes, legal luminary Nani Palkhivala, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kirit Somaiya and Congress leader Murli Deora.

Born on March 25, 1920 at Saras village in Surat district of Gujarat, Mehta completed her schooling in Kheda and Bharuch and came to Bombay in 1933 with her judge father and took admission in Chandaramji High School.

It was in her childhood days that she met Gandhiji at Olpad and became his ardent follower.

The high point of her career was the Quit India Movement of 1942. Mehta, who had arrived here from Delhi, in a daring act, unfurled the Indian national movement's tricolour at Gowalia Tank ground, now called the August Kranti Maidan, on August 9, 1942, when the entire Congress leadership, including Gandhiji, had been placed under arrest by the British.

She also ran a underground radio to spread Gandhiji's 'Quit India' call.

PTI

Noted Gandhian Dr Usha Mehta is dead
In pictures: A Gandhian bids farewell

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