List of Famous people who died in 1972

Clara Campoamor Rodríguez was a Spanish politician and feminist best known for her advocacy for women's rights and suffrage during the writing of the Spanish Constitution of 1931. Her advocacy led to the inclusion of constitutional language that sought to guarantee equality between men and women.

Ruhana Kuddus, or Rohana Kudus was the first female Indonesian journalist, founder of the Sunting Melayu newspaper, and an activist for women's emancipation. Born in a village in Agam, West Sumatra, she was taught at home by her father. After learning crafts before her marriage, she became interested in teaching such skills to women and providing for their overall education. She established a school in 1911, and in 1912 founded the newspaper, intended for women. She was its chief editor.

Richard Oakes was a Mohawk Native American activist. He spurred Native American studies in university curricula and is credited for helping to change US federal government Indian termination policy policies of Native American peoples and culture. Oakes led a nineteen-month occupation of Alcatraz Island with LaNada Means, approximately 50 California State University students, and 37 others. The Occupation of Alcatraz is credited for opening a rediscovered unity among all Native American tribes.

Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis OBE, FNA, FASc, FRS was an Indian scientist and statistician. He is best remembered for the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure, and for being one of the members of the first Planning Commission of free India. He made pioneering studies in anthropometry in India. He founded the Indian Statistical Institute, and contributed to the design of large-scale sample surveys. For his contributions, Mahalanobis has been considered the father of modern statistics in India.

Deniz Gezmiş was a Turkish Marxist-Leninist revolutionary, student leader, and political activist in Turkey in the late 1960s. He was one of the founding members of the People's Liberation Army of Turkey (THKO).

Prescott Sheldon Bush was an American banker and politician. After working as a Wall Street executive investment banker, he represented Connecticut in the United States Senate from 1952 to 1963. A member of the Bush family, he was the father of former Vice President and President George H. W. Bush, and the paternal grandfather of former Texas Governor and President George W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Ellen Miriam Hopkins was an American actress known for her versatility. She first signed with Paramount Pictures in 1930.

George Reddy was an Indian revolutionary, social activist, community leader, college leader, physics student researcher in physics at Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. He is mostly known for his helping nature, and his huge enthusiasm for nuclear physics made him to get his gold medal. His untimely death led to the formation of the Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), a student body on the campus of the University that took its name from the PDS imprint he had used to publish pamphlets.

Meena Kumari was an Indian film actress and poet, who worked in Hindi films. Popularly known as The Tragedy Queen, she was active between 1939 and 1972. Kumari was described by critics as a "historically incomparable" actress of Hindi cinema. In a career spanning 33 years, she starred in about 92 films such as Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Pakeezah, Mere Apne, Aarti, Baiju Bawra, Parineeta, Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, Foot Path, Dil Ek Mandir and Kaajal.

Dame Margaret Taylor Rutherford, was an English actress of stage, television and film.