Nafisa Ali

Born in Kolkata, West Bengal to a renowned Muslim photographer, Ahmed Ali and a Catholic mother, Philomina Torresan, she later married a Sikh army personnel, Col. R.S. Sodhi, who is also a renowned polo player and Arjuna Award recipient. She studied at La Martiniere, Calcutta. Although she was a Muslim by birth, she was also a believer in the philosophy of Vedanta that was taught by Swami Chinmayananda. She has three children; two daughters Armana, Pia and one son Ajit. Nafisa has achieved various awards not only in the area of performing arts but also in the field of sports. She is also an activist who believes in working for those who are less fortunate and voicing her opinion on many social causes. She has been nicknamed ‘Sizzling Water Baby’ as she excelled in swimming and was also the National Swimming Champion of India in the year 1974. She is the first women to be appointed as Chairperson of ‘Women’s Commission Indian Olympic Association’.

In 1976, she was crowned Miss India Miss India was a TV serial that was aired on Doord >> Read More... and was the 2nd runner-up at Miss International in Tokyo in the same year. The most notable films that Nafisa has starred in are ‘ Junoon Junoon is one of the most famous show that appeare >> Read More... ’ which won a National Award for Best Film and ‘ Major Saab Click to look into! >> Read More... ’. She took a sabbatical of eighteen years from movies post her marriage after which she acted in films like ‘Life in a Metro’, ‘Guzarish’, etc. The government of India had appointed her as the Chairperson of Children’s Film Society of India. After taking over, she conducted the 14th International Children’s Film Festival of India, which broke all the records and received more than 250 entries from across the globe. Later, next year on the occasion of 50 years of its existence, she organized a Golden Jubilee Festival in the year 2006. During her tenure of three years as the Chairperson, the 15th International Children’s Film Festival of India was also celebrated. Before her husband took premature retirement from the Indian Army, she also worked for the welfare of Army Jawans.

She is the Founder Trustee and Chairperson of NGO-‘Action India’ and also serves as Executive Member of ‘Umang Charitable Society’. She was also appointed as Exe. Member- Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee of Indian National Congress when Mrs. Sheila Dikshit was made the Chief Minister of Delhi in the year 1998 and was also appointed as a member of Human Rights Watch from South Delhi of Indian National Congress. She also started the Orissa Cyclone Relief Fund for the cyclone struck the state. She has worked for the earthquake hit Gujarat in the year 2001 by taking up the issue of reconstruction and also when the state was riot affected by speaking for the purpose of peace and harmony. ‘Ashraya’ a care home for people affected by HIV AIDS has also been started by her. She has donated money as well for the development of a school for the earthquake victims of Kashmir. She is also a board member of Laxmi Bai College, Delhi Public School (Indirapuram) and Film and Television Institute of India (Pune). The government of India also appointed her as a Board of Director of Indian Bank in the Department of Economic Affairs. >