BABA AMTE

A person totally dedicated to the leprosy patients and other downtrodden people, is Baba Amte or Murlindhar Devidas Amte.

Born on 24 December 1914 at Hinganghat, in Wardha district of Maharashtra, he belongs to a wealthy Brahmin family of Jagirdars. His childhood was spent at Nagpur. He was always an energetic prankster, who enjoyed hunting and other games. But he also had a very compassionate side since childhood.

He became a lawyer in 1936. He traveled all over India, met many interesting people and was impressed by Rabindranath Tagore. He met Gandhiji at Sewagram near Wardha.

Baba Amte had a flourishing law practice and a large family farm, yet he always tried to help untouchables and poor people. He also wasn’t happy that he was expected to lie in the law practice. He always wished to help needy people.

In 1946 he got married to Indu ( now Sandhana) who shared his compassion for poor people. Together they set up an Ashram for such people. Once he came across a half dead leprosy patient with no fingers and body covered with maggots. He was shaken up with fright and to overcome this fear of leprosy, he decided to work for such patients.

Baba went to Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine to study leprosy. Then along with his leprosy patients, he turned the barren land allotted by the government , into ‘Anandvan’- forest of bliss. He worked all over all the difficulties. Together they made Anandvan independent, where almost all things are produced within itself. Initially people were hesitant to accept things made by the leprosy patients, but foreign volunteers working at the Anandvan gave them confidence.

Physical limitations in the form of cervical spondilitis caused a major hurdle in Baba’s work. Yet Baba Amte continues with his service to the society. Even after his major back operations he traveled extensively for his ‘Bharat Jodo Abhiyan’.

He was honoured with Rashtriya Bhushan in 1978, Padma Bhushan in 1986 and Magsaysay Award in 1988.