Baba Amte, passed away in February 2008, after spending his life serving leprosy patients and working for their rehabilitation. Today, Google, honored the late social worker and reformer Baba Amte on his 104th birth anniversary with a bright Google Doodle.
The Google doodle is a five-panel slideshow, highlighting Amte’s service to humanity.
Baba Amte was born on December 26, 1914 to a wealthy family of landlords of Hinganghat in Wardha district of Maharashtra. He was a freedom-fighter whom Mahatma Gandhi had reportedly called “abhay sadhak” (one who is a courageous seeker of truth).
A happenstance with leprosy patients changed his life, and he made their welfare, healthy living and rehabilitation the mission of his entire life. He founded a safe haven for these patients and named it, Anandvan Ashram for them at Warora where he began practising law. Soon, his work spread to over 60 villages around and other parts of Maharashtra.Baba Amte also went to the Kolkata School of Tropical Medicine and learnt how to treat leprosy patients with a drug known as, diamino-diphenyl sulphone. He also worked to educatethe society to remove the stigma of the disease.
Amte also headed many social welfare and reform activities involving youth in the country. He started the ‘Bharat Jodo’ movement to unite India and promote peace, harmony and protection of ecosystem and environment. He also joined the Narmada Bachao Andolan to fight for the cause of the tribals inhabitants and the river.
He received many national and international awards, including Padma Vibhushan, Gandhi Peace Prize, Ramon Magsaysay and Templeton Prize. He had two sons, Prakash Amte and Vikas Amte, both doctors who work among the tribals of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli.