SUKKUR, May 17: The ashes of Nirmala Deshpande, an Indian peace and human rights activist, were immersed in the Indus River at the steps of the Sadhu Bela temple on Saturday.

The peace activist had said in her will that her ashes should be immersed in all rivers in South Asia.

A 250-member delegation representing the India-Pakistan peace committee, whose members arrived here from different parts of Pakistan, participated in the ceremony to pay homage to Nirmala Deshpande for her efforts for making South Asia a peaceful region for all nations.

Respected internationally, Nirmala Deshpande played a leading role in various peace movements in South Asia over the last six decades.

It was her desire to make South Asia a region free of nuclear weapons. She also played a key role for bringing people of different religions closer to each other.

The peace committee delegation was led by secretary Karamat Ali and attended by member Miss Anoosha Alam and her nine-year-old daughter Nisa Alam.

Nirmala Deshpande had desired in her will a young girl should be employed for performing the immersion ceremony.

In accordance with the will, the ceremony was led by little Nisa Alam. Immersing ceremonies for Nirmala’s ashes have already been performed at Ganges and Jumuna and other rivers in South Asian countries.