Baba Amte (1854-1922) was a prominent Indian mathematician, physicist and social reformer. In 1894 he published an essay on the condition of women in India which is regarded as one of his most important works. His essays aimed to raise awareness about the issues faced by Hindu widows against Muslim men who were often given more weight during marriage negotiations because they were able to provide financial support—something that caste Hindus could not do without losing status within their communities.,
Baba Amte, who is known as the father of modern Marathi literature, was born on November 17th in 1894. He wrote his first poem at the age of six and later became a journalist. In his lifetime he had written more than 100 books. His works include “Rangila Rasul”, “Dhundi Khande” and “Katha”.
You will learn about Baba Amte’s Early Years, works, personal life, and death in this article.
Murlidhar Devidas Amte, often known as Baba Amte, was a personification of love and a rescuer of the underprivileged in our society. He lived a humble life and was a devout Gandhian. Despite the fact that he had a positive impact on the lives of countless individuals via his actions or activities.
He was a self-taught Indian who dedicated his life to social betterment. He was an enthusiastic participant in social activities, especially those aimed at the rehabilitation and empowerment of leprosy patients.
The Padma Vibhushan, the Dr. Ambedkar International Award, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Gandhi Peace Prize, the Jamnalal Bajaj Award, and the Templeton Prize are among the many accolades and prizes he has received.
Early Years
Murlidhar Devidas Amte was born on December 26, 1914, in Hinganghat, Wardha district, Maharashtra, to an affluent Brahmin family. His father worked for the British government’s district administration and tax collecting agencies.
Murlidhar Amte was known as “Baba” as a kid, according to his wife Sadhanatai Amte, not because he was considered as a saint or holy figure, but because his parents called him by that name. Baba was the eldest kid in a family of eight.
Though he was born in a wealthy family, he was aware of the class inequality that prevailed in Indian society. In his childhood, he was very generous and always felt for the poor & helpless people.
He was usually noticeable for his focus on the difficulties and powerlessness. He was also concerned about the impoverished laborers’ or employees’ health concerns.
Dedicated Projects
He went to law school and established a prosperous practice in Wardha. He was also a participant in the Indian struggle for independence from the British Empire, and he went on to act as a defense counsel for Indian leaders imprisoned by the British during the Quit India Movement.
As a young man, he was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and took part in the freedom struggle & went twice to jail. He was a follower of Gandhism and practiced by engaging in yarn spinning using charkha and weaning khadi.
He was constantly opposed to the social practice of ‘untouchability.’ He never felt that individuals could be classified as little or large based on their birth weight. He was raised with lofty principles and morals. He used to work as a city sweeper on purpose, in order to better comprehend their sentiments and issues.
He once came upon a leper (a person who has leprosy) who was in discomfort and had open sores. The sight of the agonizing sickness and the social shame it brought shook and moved Baba Amte. This was the event that changed his life forever, and he resolved to work tirelessly for leprosy victims.
He went to Kolkata, got specially trained in the field of leprosy, and treated several leprosy patients. They, too, started coming to him for treatment. Although people were not ready to accept them even if they were cured because it was believed that leprosy could not be cured & could spread by touch.
Baba wanted to make the public aware that leprosy victims, like everyone else, can live regular lives and contribute to society. He desired for them to live a dignified life and become self-sufficient.
As a result of his tireless efforts, he was able to buy 250 acres of property in Maharastra’s Chandrapur district. There, he founded Anandvani, a place where hundreds of poor men and women with leprosy were cured and trained to be self-sufficient via gardening, livestock husbandry, weaving, stitching, and other activities.
`Anandvan’ has got rooms for the patient, hospitals, schools, a hall for entertainment, garden, and small factories where things are made. It grew with the efforts of Baba Amte& his wife Sadhana Amte who, too, supported him with devotion, to make his dream true.
His sons, physicians Vikas and Prakash, also treat the patients here and are continuing the wonderful work—showing care and compassion 84, and making them efficient and confident persons.
The impoverished and underprivileged now have a reason to smile as a result of his efforts and selfless dedication. Baba Amte worked tirelessly throughout his life to make the lives of others easier and more pleasant.
He also supported the Narmada Bachao Andolan in 1990. (NBA). Many individuals were inspired by him to act for the voiceless and the underprivileged tribals. He was a realist when it came to social transformation. He toiled for the benefit of his fellow human beings till his final breath.
Recognition from other countries
Baba and his art have garnered significantly better reviews overseas than they have in his own nation. Lady Barbara Ward Jackson, an economist specializing in Third World issues, nominated him for the Nobel Prize.
Despite his assertion that he despises personal attention, Amte has been lionized in the West via the written word. Both Count Arthur Tarnowski’s The Unbeaten Track and Turner’s More Than Conquerors feature glowing eulogies on the man and his accomplishments.
Indifference of the government
However, World Health Organization (WHO) experts have expressed concern, questioning the rationale of segregating and colonizing leprosy patients in an age when the illness is completely curable and, in theory, no different from other infectious diseases like TB and cholera.
Even though he maintained a low profile, his work was well-known and disseminated over the globe. Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, has praised his contributions to the country’s growth on several occasions. His concepts were reviewed, the models were admired, but owing to the sluggish bureaucratic process, they were never put into practice.
Family and Personal Life
Baba married Indu Ghuleshashtri, afterwards known as Sadhanatai Amte, who devoted herself to her husband’s humanitarian activities. Their two sons, Vikas Amte and Prakash Amte, are also physicians, as are his daughters-in-law.
All four committed their careers to social service and made a difference in the same way that Baba did. The hospital in Anandwan is administered by Baba’s oldest son Vikas and his wife Bharati. Prakash, his younger son, and Mandakini, his wife, manage a school and a hospital in Hemalkasa village.
In the underprivileged district of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra among the Madia Gond Tribe as well an orphanage for injured wild animals, including lion and some leopards. Baba’s grandsons (Prakash & Mandakini, two sons) are also doctors and have dedicated their lives to the same causes.
Anandwan is home to a university, an orphanage, and a school for the deaf and blind. Baba subsequently established the “Somnath” and “Ashokwan” ashrams for leprosy patients.
Complex surgical procedures are carried out in a region with no power, running water, or telephones, and which is shut off from the rest of the world for six months each year due to the monsoons.
Although government funding are obtained for educational institutions and a part of leprosy treatment, the Samiti’s enterprises generate enough grain and groceries to be nearly self-sufficient.
Death
Amte died on the 9th of February, 2008, in Anandwan, Maharashtra, from age-related ailments.
New York Times Featured Image
Baba Amte was an Indian poet, writer and revolutionary. His works are considered to be among the most significant in modern Indian literature. He died on November 30th, 1950. Reference: baba amte death date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Baba Amte dedicate his life to?
A: Baba Amte dedicated his life to the cause of freedom, as is evident from one of his more famous quotes- Every sober revolutionist should adopt three vows. Do not take too much food (and drink), do not sleep under a roof and do not get married.
At what age did Baba Amte died?
A: Baba Amte was 96 at the time of his death.
What kind of life did Baba Amte lead before he received his true calling?
A: Baba Amte was born into a wealthy family of merchants in Calcutta, India. He studied to become a doctor but never pursued his medical career because he felt it would be an insult to the poor people who needed him most. In 1942, during World War II, he and some friends decided to create their own form of armed resistance against British imperialism by using guerrilla tactics including sabotage and assassination that led them to public acclaim for years after the war ended.
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