Explore Our Affordable Courses

Click Here
  »   Blog   »   Baba Amte: Biography, Contributions, Awards and Honours

Baba Amte: Biography, Contributions, Awards and Honours

PWOnlyIAS February 07, 2024 04:02 2498 0

Blogs UPSC Blogs

Muralidhar Devidas Amte, known popularly as Baba Amte, was a social worker and activist who contributed towards empowering and rehabilitating leprosy patients.

Baba Amte: Biography, Contributions, Awards and Honours

Context

The death anniversary of social activist Baba Amte is marked on 9th February.

Baba Amte Biography

  • About: Muralidhar Devidas Amte, known popularly as Baba Amte, was a social worker and activist who contributed towards empowering and rehabilitating leprosy patients.
  • Early Life: Baba Amte was born in a wealthy land-owning family in Maharashtra’s Hinganghat in 1914. His father worked for the colonial government.
    • Muralidhar acquired the moniker Baba in his childhood. He followed a lavish lifestyle, involving hunting and horse riding.
    • Despite his wealthy family background, Amte was always aware of the class inequality that prevailed in Indian society.
  • Education: Amte studied law and developed a successful legal practice in Wardha. 

Working With Mahatma Gandhi

  • Follower of Gandhian Philosophy: Baba Amte lived in Gandhiji’s Sevagram and adopted Gandhianism as his philosophy.
    • He adhered to the use of a charkha to spin yarn and also dressed in Khadi.
  • Fearless Approach: When Gandhiji came to know about Amte’s fearless protests against some Englishmen disrespecting women, he gave Amte the title ‘Abhaya Sadhak’.

Contributions of Baba Amte

Baba Amte

  • Indian Freedom Movement: Baba Amte took part in nearly all of the major Independence movements led by Mahatma Gandhi.
    • He was the defense lawyer for Indian leaders imprisoned for participating in the Quit India movement. 
  • Promote Gandhianism: Amte was a firm believer in Gandhian concept of a self-sufficient village industry that empowers seemingly helpless people.
    • Gandhi’s principles of Satyagraha were utilised by Amte to fight against corruption, mismanagement, and poor, shortsighted planning in the government.
  • Working with Leprosy Patients: After an encounter with a leprosy patient, Amte decided to dedicate his life for the treatment and rehabilitation of leprosy patients.
    • To understand the disease, Amte worked at a leprosy clinic, and took a course on the disease at the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine.
    • Amte wanted to change the thinking and understanding of people that leprosy patients cannot be allowed back into society.
    • He wanted the society to be free of “Mental Leprosy“, which was the fear and wrong understanding associated with disease.
    • To change people’s belief, he once injected himself with bacilli from a patient, to prove the ailment was not highly contagious.
    • Baba Amte set up three ashrams, of which Anandvan was the first, for treatment and rehabilitation of leprosy patients, disabled people and people from marginalised sections.
  • Environment Protection: In 1990, Amte went to live along the Narmada River and joined Narmada Bachao Andolan movement, which was against construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam.
  • National Unity: Through his first Knit India Mission for Peace in 1985, Baba Amte walked more than 3000 miles from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to encourage national unity. 
    • Few years later, he organized a second march that covered more than 1800 miles from Assam to Gujarat.
  • Tribal Upliftment: Baba Amte set up the Lok Biradari Prakalp in 1973 to assist the Madia Gond tribe of the Gadchiroli District. 
    • It involved building a hospital for the tribals in the area to provide them with basic healthcare. 
    • There was also a school with a hostel facility for children to provide education and a centre to teach livelihood skills and training to the adults. 
  • Literature: Amte authored collections of Marathi poetry, namely Jwala and Phule and Ujjwal Udyashita, to highlight his struggles. 
  • Animal Welfare: Baba Amte also set up an animal orphanage, which takes in and cares for the young animals orphaned by the hunting activities of the local tribes.
  • Water Conservation: As part of his activism, Baba Amte sought the government to carry out interventions in dry farming technology, watershed management, check dams, lift irrigation, and improved efficiency and utilization of existing dams.

Honours for Baba Amte

  • Modern Gandhi: Baba Amte is referred to as India’s modern Gandhi for following and adhering to the principles of Mahatma Gandhi.

Baba Amte: Awards Received

  • Padma Shri (1971)
  • Ramon Magsaysay Award (1985)
  • Padma Vibhushan (1986)
  • United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights (1988)
  • Dr Ambedkar International Award (1999)
  • Gandhi Peace Prize (1999)
  • Templeton Prize (1990)
  • Right Livelihood Award (1991)
  • Maharashtra Bhushan (2004)

Baba Amte: Quotes

  • “I don’t want to be a great leader; I want to be a man who goes around with a little oil can and when he sees a breakdown, offers his help. To me, the man who does that is greater than any holy man in saffron-coloured robes. The mechanic with the oilcan: that is my ideal in life.”
  • “I took up leprosy work not to help anyone, but to overcome that fear in my life. That it worked out good for others was a by-product. But the fact is I did it to overcome fear.”
  • “The condition of the tribals is worse than those inflicted with leprosy. Purna swaraj can only be possible when the poorest of the poor is uplifted.”
  • “Joy is more infectious than leprosy.”

Conclusion

Baba Amte dedicated his life to serve humanity, especially for the upliftment of downtrodden and socially marginalised sections. His role in building a self-sufficient rural community, based on Gandhian principles, has served as an inspiration for many across the world.

Must Read
NCERT Notes For UPSC UPSC Daily Current Affairs
UPSC Blogs UPSC Daily Editorials
Daily Current Affairs Quiz Daily Main Answer Writing
UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers UPSC Test Series 2024

 

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailDOWNLOAD PDF

Frequently Asked Questions

The death anniversary of social activist Baba Amte is marked on 9th February.

Muralidhar Devidas Amte, known popularly as Baba Amte, was a social worker and activist who contributed towards empowering and rehabilitating leprosy patients.

Baba Amte took part in nearly all of the major Independence movements led by Mahatma Gandhi. Baba Amte lived in Gandhiji’s Sevagram and adopted Gandhianism as his philosophy. He adhered to the use of a charkha to spin yarn and also dressed in Khadi.

Amte’s fearless protests against some Englishmen disrespecting women resulted in Mahatma Gandhi giving him the title ‘Abhaya Sadhak’.

Baba Amte is referred to as India's modern Gandhi for following and adhering to the principles of Mahatma Gandhi.

After an encounter with a leprosy patient, Amte decided to dedicate his life for the treatment and rehabilitation of leprosy patients. Amte wanted to change the thinking and understanding of people that leprosy patients cannot be allowed back into society. He set up three ashrams, of which Anandvan was the first, for treatment and rehabilitation of leprosy patients.

Baba Amte set up the Lok Biradari Prakalp in 1973 to assist the Madia Gond tribe of the Gadchiroli District.

Amte went to live along the Narmada River and joined Narmada Bachao Andolan movement, which was against construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam. He also set up an animal orphanage, which takes in and cares for the young animals orphaned by the hunting activities.

Recommended For You

November 22, 2024
UPSC NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025, Age Limit, Qualification
November 22, 2024
List of Presidents of India 1947 to 2024
November 22, 2024
Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Biography, Early Life, His Contributi...
November 22, 2024
UPSC CDS Exam Pattern 2025, Check CDS 1 & CDS 2 Pattern
November 22, 2024
UPSC CDS Syllabus 2025 PDF, Check for CDS 1 and CDS 2 Syllab...
November 22, 2024
GM Crops in India, Genetic Modification, BT Cotton, Crop reg...
/*

Latest Comments

*/

Live Blog

Recent posts

November 22, 2024
UPSC NDA Eligibility Criteria 2025, Age Limit...
November 22, 2024
List of Presidents of India 1947 to 2024
November 22, 2024
Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Biography, Early Life,...
November 22, 2024
UPSC CDS Exam Pattern 2025, Check CDS 1 &...
November 22, 2024
UPSC CDS Syllabus 2025 PDF, Check for CDS 1 a...

Archive Calendar

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

by month

Follow Us

Need help preparing for UPSC or State PSCs?

Connect with our experts to get free counselling & start preparing

THE MOST
LEARNING PLATFORM

Learn From India's Best Faculty

# #
      
Subscribe our Newsletter
Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.
*Promise! We won't spam you.
Yes! I want to Subscribe.

Contact Details

G-Floor,4-B Pusa Road, New Delhi, 110060

Download Our App

# #
Copyright © 2023 PWOnlyIAS
Privacy Policy Refund And Cancellation Policy FAQ Terms & ConditionSitemap

Download October 2024 Current Affairs.   Srijan 2025 Program (Prelims+Mains) !     Current Affairs Plus By Sumit Sir   UPSC Prelims2025 Test Series.    IDMP – Self Study Program 2025.

 

THE MOST
LEARNING PLATFORM

Learn From India's Best Faculty

# #
      
Follow Us:
Subscribe our Newsletter
Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.
*Promise! We won't spam you.
Yes! I want to Subscribe.

Contact Details

G-Floor,4-B Pusa Road, New Delhi, 110060

Download Our App

# #
Copyright © 2023 PWOnlyIAS
Privacy Policy Refund And Cancellation Policy FAQ Terms & ConditionSitemap

Download October 2024 Current Affairs.   Srijan 2025 Program (Prelims+Mains) !     Current Affairs Plus By Sumit Sir   UPSC Prelims2025 Test Series.    IDMP – Self Study Program 2025.

 
Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

<div class="new-fform">







    </div>

    Subscribe our Newsletter
    Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.
    *Promise! We won't spam you.
    Yes! I want to Subscribe.