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Amte |
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Murlidhar Devidas
Amte (born December 24, 1914), or Baba Amte, as he is fondly
known, was born in Hinganghat located in Wardha District of
Maharashtra state of India. He was from a family of jagirdars.
Trained in law, Baba Amte started a lucrative practice at
Wardha, but, moved by the poverty he saw around him, he decided
to dedicate himself to social justice.
One of India's most revered social and moral leaders, Baba
Amte has devoted his life to the care and rehabilitation of
leprosy patients, even allowing his body to be used for experiments
to grow leprosy germs. His community development project at
Anandwan (Forest of Bliss) near Nagpur in Maharashtra, India,
is recognised and respected around the world and has done
much to dispel prejudice against leprosy victims.
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Baba Amte also launched the Bharat Jodo (Unite
India) movements from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in 1985 and Gujarat
to Arunachal Pradesh in 1988, with the mission of establishing
peace and raising environmental consciousness.
In 1990, Baba Amte left Anandwan to live along the Narmada river
to fight against social injustice to local inhabitants. Although
he continues to support the movement for rehabilitation of tribals
affected by the construction of large dams on the Narmada, he
has recently returned to Anandwan for health reasons.
Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1985. He was chosen
for his work-oriented rehabilitation of Indian leprosy patients
and other handicapped outcasts.
On December 25, 1999, he was chosen for the coveted Gandhi
Peace Prize for his exemplary work for treatment and rehabilitation
of leprosy patients and his concept of the "Shramik Vidyapeeth"
(Workers University) where patients and volunteers work together.
He has used his various honours and awards, amounting to INR
15 million, to the running of Anandwan.
Baba's life story is captured in the 2006 memoir titled "Wisdom
Song: the Life of Baba Amte" (Neesha Mirchandani, Roli
Books, New Delhi)
http://baba.niya.org
includes detailed information about Baba/the book
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