Baba Amte Quotes (34 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

His reaction after he had given away his wealth and legal career and had set up a work camp and started living with common people with his family when he had met a dying leper on the road, pages=6-7
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“[A balanced economic system is one which provides] sufficiency for all and superfluity for some. The MNCs have entered the country like nomads. The majority doesn't need Pepsi or Coke, they want water. You can have your skyscrapers and Cokes but before this you must ensure that that tribal girl defecating in the open has the privacy of a toilet.”

Baba Amte

After 50 years what democracy is this?

“The common man, he is the uncommon man”

Baba Amte

His constant refrain, page =4
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“I rushed across and started putting such handful of coins into the tin which he held out to me that it almost fell from his hand with the weight. ‘I am only a beggar, young sir, don’t put stones into my bowl'. 'These are not stones but coins. Count them if you wish’. I said. He sat and counted and then recounted sorting out the coins on that tattered cloth. He just could not believe it. He went on counting and feeling the coins. It made me so sad. I ran home in tears.”

Baba Amte

An incident which he often narrated which profoundly affected him, page=4
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“I believe as a society we have to evolve, through experimentation, a system which combines the principles of individual freedom and common ownership. And this is what we have tried, basically with success, in all our projects, involving leprosy patients, tribal people and the so-called 'disabled' persons.”

Baba Amte

On Community living
Baba Amte's Words of Wisdom

“You have come a long way to talk to me, but I have a surprise for you: I have worked out most of the details already….”

Baba Amte

When Count Tarnowski, Polish, a polio affected person in a wheel chair came to his Anandwan to help him financially to set up learning centers in several trades for lepers, in page=17.
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“A client would admit that he had committed rape, and I was expected to obtain an acquittal. And worse still, when I succeeded, I was expected to attend the celebration party.”

Baba Amte

His defending a rape accused in the court in page=3
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“I never had money. But that had never stopped me.”

Baba Amte

When hearing of the estimate for establishing learning center Tarnowski had said “you realize I have no money yet,...it is a great deal to rise. In page=17
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“If you give the royalties from your book, I shall give the land.”

Baba Amte

When Count Tarnowski offered to give his royalties from his book for the cause. Now 40 trades are being taught at the center. Page=18
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“Our governance is by a gerontocracy. This cataract of history can only be removed by youth. In this common man's century, only the common man can change the profile of this country.”

Baba Amte

On Governance
Baba Amte's Words of Wisdom

“I was charging fifty rupees for arguing for fifteen minutes while a labourer was getting only three-quarters of a Rupee for twelve hours of toil. That was what was eating into me.”

Baba Amte

Above three quotes are his remarks as he was from a very well to do land owning family with no wants in but attracted to the plight of thee poor people in page=3
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“I was tempted by Shankar bhagwan. He too has spondylitis but uses a cobra as a brace.”

Baba Amte

After 50 years what democracy is this?

“The halo of Fr. Damian was before me, [he said] and I knew that Sadhana would nurse me.”

Baba Amte

While on training at the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine on the treatment of leprosy, he volunteered to be a human guinea pig to get injected with dead bacilli and also live bacilli. Page=10
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“Those who do monumental work don't need monuments.”

Baba Amte

After 50 years what democracy is this?

“I have to be cautious, but caution also has its own adventure.”

Baba Amte

The above two quotes when he was disabled due to Spondylitis.
After 50 years what democracy is this?

“I, who had never had planted single seed in the estate was expected to enjoy the comfort of a beautiful farm house, while those who had toiled there all their lives had only the meanest hovels.”

Baba Amte

Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“Joy is more infectious than leprosy.”

Baba Amte

Talking about the joy one gets working at his institution, Anandwan, a home for leprosy that was established by him, page=22
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“Charity destroys, work builds.”

Baba Amte

After 50 years what democracy is this?

“Whenever God has pointed the way with his finger, he also cleared the way with his mighty palm.”

Baba Amte

When he was looking for help to build his institutions at Anandwan, unexpected help came from 50 volunteers of 36 different countries working under the banner of “Service Civil International", from Gandhi’s Ashram at Sevagram, page=14
Baba Amte: A Vision of New India

“I don't want to be a leader. I want to be one who goes around with a little oil can and offer help when I see a breakdown.”

Baba Amte

Quoted in Quotations by 60 Greatest Indians, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology http://resourcecentre.daiict.ac.in/eresources/iresources/quotations.html,

“When leprosy patients touched the soil, they transformed it into gold, but the politicians did that and made it into dirt.”

Baba Amte

His analogy between Indian politicians and his leprosy patients.
Baba Amte's Words of Wisdom

“Every once in a blue moon, is born a person, who has the clarity of vision, and the greatness of deed, to make us all recognize the dizzying heights the human spirit can really achieveŠBaba Amte is one of those people.”

Baba Amte

By Neesha Mirchandani
Baba Amte's Words of Wisdom