Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) expresses heartfelt grief at the demise of comrade Ranjana Nirula, working committee member and former Treasurer of CITU. She was the Convenor of All India Coordination Committee of ASHA workers (CITU). She passed away yesterday, 10 May 2021 at 11pm. She has been unwell for few months with Crohn’s disease and was under treatment. She was infected with Covid 19 and was hospitalized on 27 April 2021. She was 75 years.
Ranjana Nirula was born in 1945 in Delhi in an aristocratic Punjabi family. Her father was a doctor in the UN. She went for her studies in USA where she came close to the left movement during the Vietnam War and was active in Anti Vietnam War Movement. She came back to India in early seventies and joined the left movement here. She became CITU whole timer in 1978 and was Treasurer of Delhi State CITU. She stayed in working class colonies and worked among the factory workers in South Delhi and also in Faridabad.
She was one of the founders of the coordination committee of working women (CITU) in Delhi in 1979. She was also one of the founders of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) in Delhi and was a member of the Central Executive Committee of AIDWA. She was also a member of Delhi State Committee of CPI (M).
A great humanist, she had specialization in teaching of children with special needs and served as a teacher for them for a short period.
Ranjana joined the CITU headquarters in 1998. She became the Working Editor of “The Voice of the Working Woman”, the journal of CITU for women workers which have been published since 1980. From 1979, she was a part of Co ordination Committee of Working Women and was also associated with Beedi Workers. When the CITU formed the All India Coordination Committee of ASHA worker (CITU), in 2009, she became its Convenor, and was continuing till date. Ranjana became the first ever woman treasurer of CITU, in 2010 in the 13th Conference of CITU, a position which she held till 2017. At present she was a member of the Working Committee of CITU.
A staunch advocate of women’ equal rights, a fearless critique of communal fascistic forces, com Ranjana was a very affectionate and caring leader who was particular in cadre development. Her departure is a great loss to the trade union movement in India in general and the CITU centre in particular.
CITU pays its respectful homage, dips its flag in memory of the departed leader and conveys heartfelt condolences to her bereaved family.
Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary
