One of the most respected social leaders of the country, Murlidhar Devidas alias Baba Amte, who changed the lives of thousands of leprosy patients for the better, passed at his world renowned “Anandvan” ashram at Warora in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra in the early hours of Saturday.

He was 94 and is survived by two doctor sons, who too with their wives are involved in selfless social service.
Baba, as he was known to his followers, was suffering from multiple ailments for four decades now: he could not sit due to his impaired backbone, and there were cardiac problems plus cancer.

But nothing stopped this lion-hearted man from his work. Last month, while taking a brisk walk, he suddenly fell ill due to fatigue and was taken to hospital.

He breathed his last at 4:15 am, his eldest son Dr Vikas, who now runs Anandvan, said.

PM pays tribute

Both President Pratibha Patil and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who happen to be in Maharashtra, paid their glowing tributes to the departed soul.

“Amte was the last true Gandhian of our times,” Singh said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh too mourned Amte’s death and said the country will forever remember his work for leprosy patients and poor people.
Anandvan, where Baba did phenomenal work to leprosy patients, was just one aspect of his life. He brought to centre-stage the issue of colossal environmental destruction that mega developmental projects cause through his crusade against big dams like Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river. He also took out Bharat Jodo Abhiyan in 1985 when the nation was beset with militancy in Punjab and Assam.