Baba Amte
From Philosopedia
Baba Amte (26 December 1914 - 9 February 2008)
Murlidhar Devidas Amte, a social activist in India who became known for his helping leprosy patients, was born to wealthy parents in Hinganghat, which is in Wardha District of Maharashtra, India.
He became known as Baba, a nickname given him by his parents and an affectionate title in the Marathi language. Amte trained as a lawyer and participated in the freedom struggle against the British Empire. He spent time at Mahatma Gandhi's ashram in Sevagram and was also influenced by Vinoba Bhave, Rabindranath Tagore, and Sane Guruji. He made many peace and justice marches across India, was known for his solidarity with the aborigine tribes and his opposition to big dams like the Sardar Sarovar project on the Narmada River.
Maharogi Sewa Samiti, the organization that rehabilitates lepers, has described Amte:
- While the ideas of Marx and Mao inspired him, the Marxist revolutions in Russia and China did not. He felt closer to the worldview of John Ruskin and Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin, which emphasized the empowerment of the community with greater freedom from the state. Thus the poetic simplicity of Maharashtra's fiery social reformer, Sane Guruji, drew him like a magnet.
- So Baba set about changing what he could. Harijans (also known as untouchables) on his family's lands had always walked a long distance to collect water because the village well was forbidden to them. Baba defied the bitter opposition of the upper-caste villagers and opened up the well to all people. During the Quit India movement, in 1942, he organized lawyers to take up the defense of the jailed leaders and was himself thrown into prison.
- Soon Baba lost all interest in the law practice. More and more he admired the 'richness of heart of the poor people' and despised 'the poverty of heart of the rich'. It was the 'common man', he decided, who was really uncommon. Perhaps, one way of ensuring a full life was to become one with the poor and oppressed.
- From his earliest days, Amte was attracted by the Gonds and other primitive people whom he met on his hunting expeditions deep in the primeval forests. "That microscopic look at village life taught me to hear the heart-beat of reality. To me, the common man's society is a maskless society. He does not carry that thick mask which the professional people, the upper classes, whereas they might look nice and beautiful. Very often they do not dare to say what they really think and feel."
- Baba let his hair and fingernails grow and spread the word that he had taken a vow of celibacy. To complete the effect he even feigned sitting in meditation. One day whilst pretending to be lost in meditation, a crab began pinching his thigh. "It was very painful, but I had to pretend not to notice it. What a bluff!" All this changed when he spotted Indu Ghuleshastri at a wedding. Baba noticed that amid the wedding festivities of her elder sister, Indu had quietly slipped away to help an old servant woman who was washing clothes.
Amte was awarded the UN Human Rights Prize, the Magsaysay award, the Templeton Prize, the Gandhi Peace Prize, and other humanitarian and environmental prizes.
