“Every single minute matters, every single child matters, every single childhood matters.”

Kailash Satyarthi is a Noble Prize winner, social activist, and advocate of children’s human rights. In 2014, he won the Nobel Peace Prize (shared with Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani advocate for female education) for his efforts against child labor and suppression of their rights. His vision is to make every child safe and educated in India by 2047. Born in 1954 in a Brahmin family in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, he pursued electrical engineering in the same town.

In 1977, he moved to New Delhi to work as a publisher in literature. He gave up his high-caste surname, Sharma, and took up the surname Satyarthi, which reflects the meaning “seeker of the truth”. Besides, he is also the founder of Save the Childhood Movement (BBA) along with multiple organizations that work for children’s rights. He even started GoodWeave International, a nonprofit organization that was the first certification system that manufactured rugs without the use of child labor. He believes child labor is the source of oppression, poverty, illiteracy, and other socio-economic evils. In 2015, he achieved success in including child welfare issues as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.

“I dream for a world which is free of child labor, a world in which every child goes to school. A world in which every child gets his rights.”

We need such gems for the overall progress of our society and to come together for the future of our children. We hope his noble vision of seeing every child free with their rights protected, comes true. His passion and zeal for achieving an end to child slavery are unmatched. Currently, he is also working for an international law that addresses the evil of digital forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

“I refuse to accept that the shackles of slavery can ever be stronger than the quest for freedom.”

Birth Score – 4/5
Pride Score – 5/5
A super-impressive 9/10 Notable Brahmin Score.

“Working with Madia Gond for over 47 years is an eye opening journey for us. We did help them to join the mainstream, but at the same time learned how life can be enjoyed with simplicity and without expecting anything in return.”

Dr. Prakash Amte is name known to all. Son of social worker Baba Amte, known for his selfless service to humankind, especially to leprosy patients, Dr. Prakash inherited the love for social service from his parents at a very young age. An esteemed doctor, social worker, and reformer, his story is as inspiring as his father’s. Let’s have a look at his journey so far.

Dr. Prakash Amte carried forward the Lok Biradari Prakalpa, which was started by father Late Shri Babsaheb Amte. This work involved working with the Madia-Gond Samaj, tribal people of Hemlakasa. After completion of his doctor’s degree, he decided to dedicate his life for the upliftment of tribal community in this area. With lack of access to basic amenities such as medical care or even clothing, and not to mention the Naxalite violence, their lifestyle was not even remotely near to what modern man lived like. The doctor couple worked endlessly to bring changes such as education, hospital settings, basic access to food and clothing while enabling them to seek employment.

“My father had a very simple definition of social work and life. He followed only one religion, the religion of humanity and serving needy people.”

The birth of Animal Ark is rather an unusual and soul-stirring story. Once Dr. Prakash Amte was out for a stroll with his wife when he saw the tribal people carrying a dead monkey with the baby still suckling at her mother’s breast. Dr. Amte asked the tribals to let him adopt the baby monkey, and in return, offered them of some rice and clothes.

Since then, Dr. & Mrs. Amte struck a deal with the tribals, and asked them to spare the babies of animals who they hunt, and instead, bring them to Animal Ark to be cared for. Interestingly, Animal Ark, also hosts rare and endangered species of animals as well as reptiles, which include snakes, leopards, hyenas, crocodiles, birds, jungle cats, and giant squirrels. Thus, in it’s own unique way, the institution has has shown that there is no need for conflict between animals and humankind, and both can stay in close contact. Of course, due to government rules, they had to cage wild animals, although they receive the same amount of care. The number of animals being brought has reduced as the villagers are now opting for agriculture as a medium for food.

A biopic “Dr Prakash Baba Amte– The Real Hero” was released in 2014, featuring the life story of Dr. Prakash Amte along with his spouse. He has been honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award (Phillipines) in 2008. Besides, he was also a recipient of the Padma Shri award in 2002. He continues to reside at Hemalkasa working relentlessly for the villagers. His three children, along with their spouses, continue his legacy contributing to the Lok Biradari Prakalpa.

Very few people work tirelessly with devotion for humankind as well as animals, and Dr. Prakash Amte’s story needs to be retold again and again to inspire the younger generation of our country.

“We need more dedicated workers to build a humane community where people can live in peace and harmony. We need to build bridges between the haves and have-nots, in every sphere.”