Baba Amte: Celebrating Birth Anniversary of Admiring Social Activist

Google's Doodle for today is dedicated to the prestigious social activist a devoted worker Murlidhar Devidas Amte, also known as Baba Amte. This article will portray different aspects of Baba Amte's legacy, the doodle tells his journey of life, as he put it in helping poor people, particularly those who were affected with leprosy.

Baba Amte - Early Life

• On this day in 1914, Baba Amte was born in a well off family in Maharashtra. • He was running his very own effective firm by his 20s and at the same time was also pursuing a degree in law. • Murlidhar Devidas Amte was constantly conscious about the facts that India experiences class based inequalities and this thought ran so deep in him that by his 30s, he left his training and became a profound social worker helping the people who couldn't take their stand in the society.

Baba Amte - Reverential Social Activist

Baba Amte's life took a drastic change when he met a man suffering from leprosy. Seeing the man's rotting body petrified him and he chose to defy his fear. He once stated, “The most frightening disease is not losing one's limbs, but losing one's strength to feel kindness and compassion.” He recognized this disease as the condition of "mental leprosy" that made individuals to become emotionless who could not conquer their own fears. The incapacity of lack of care, he stated, was the biggest sickness to humanity.

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He found a meaningful purpose for his life. He dedicated his entire life to this cause. Baba Amte disregarded the social marks of shame faced by people suffering from leprosy by infusing himself with bacilli to demonstrate that the disease was not at highly infectious.

But this wasn't all, in 1949 taking his social activity forward he laid the foundation of Anandwan that meant "Forest of Bliss" which was a self sufficient rehabilitation center and a village for leprosy patients. He did this so the patients will never have to face the inequality and the harsh comments of society.

Baba Amte - Actions

• Moving forward he began the first Knit India March in 1985. • He was the person who walked a distance of more than 3,000 miles from Kanyakumari to Kashmir at the age of 72 just to infuse a thought of unity in India. • In this march, he was escorted by 16 women and 100 men all under the age of 35. • After the successful completion of this march he organized a second march three years later, traveling over 1800 miles from Assam to Gujarat.

Baba Amte - Achievements

• Seeing his contribution to humanity, he was awarded with the Padma Shri Award in 1971. • In 1988 he won United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights. • In the year 1999 he was also awarded with Gandhi Peace Prize.

Baba Amte’s two sons are taking his legacy forward sharing their father's sense of compassion and dedicating themselves for the betterment of the society.

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We hope you found this article on Baba Amte helpful. Take a look at more such articles to uplift your General Knowledge.

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