The eighth season of the Banega Swasth India initiative stresses on the need to take care of, and consider everyone's health in India especially vulnerable communities
Oct 03, 2021
13:35 (IST)
Prakash Amte, Social Worker, Medical Director of Lok Biradari Prakalp, Padma Shri & Magsaysay Awardee on Swasth Bharat, Sampann Bharat telethon
In 50s, my father Baba Amte, though he was a son of a landlord and used to practice law saw a leprosy patient. He got scared. A turning point can come in anyone's life - he brought that person with leprosy to his home. Leprosy patient in the house was taboo back then. When Baba started this and gained publicity, the most important thing Baba thought about was how to raise confidence among people begging on roads. So he had the policy of work with people. Though handicapped, people could work. In the initial days, everyone boycotted Baba. But after 10 years, a lot of people started coming. Anandvan became a picnic spot. There was a taboo of deformity. Baba's contribution was to eliminate taboo and increase confidence. He didn't limit himself to leprosy but also worked for people with different kinds of disabilities.