Legendary Punjabi film actress Nirmal Rishi, 80, has got prestigious Padama Shri award for her outstanding contribution in the art for the year 2024. The versatile actress has acted in over 60 films besides doing theater.
Born in 1943 into a Brahmin family in the village of Khiva Kalan in Mansa district, Rishi’s father, Sarpanch Baldev Krishan Rishi, and her mother, Bachni Devi, played significant roles in her upbringing. Her enthusiasm for theatre emerged during her school days. Opting for a career as a physical education instructor, she enrolled in Government College Patiala for Physical Education.
With an illustrious career spanning six decades in theatre and films, Nirmal Rishi declares that acting is not just a profession but her life’s essence. Rishi’s artistic journey began under the mentorship of Punjab’s acclaimed theatre figures, Harpal and Neena Tiwana.