Dhanvanthi Handoo Rama Rau (1893–1987) was founder and president of the Family Planning Association of India. She was a Kashmir

Kashmir

Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...

i, born and brought up in Hubli, and later moved to Madras to join Presidency College. She served as president of the International Planned Parenthood Federation

International Planned Parenthood Federation

The International Planned Parenthood Federation is a global non-governmental organization with the broad aims of promoting sexual and reproductive health, and advocating the right of individuals to make their own choices in family planning. It was first formed in 1952 in Bombay, India, and now...

. She married the distinguished economist and diplomat Sir Benegal Rama Rau

Benegal Rama Rau

Sir Benegal Rama Rau CIE was the fourth Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1 July 1949 to 14 January 1957. He was educated at Presidency College, Madras, and at Kings College, Cambridge. He was knighted in 1936. He was a member of the Indian Civil Service...

, a Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin.

She was awarded the Padma Bhushan

Padma Bhushan

The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...

by the Indian Government in 1959. Her memoirs have been published under the title "An Inheritance".