KOLLAM: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 26 said Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, popularly known as Amma, was a refuge for the sorrowful and the oppressed, and that her life of selfless service and empathy was a model for the world. Addressing the Viswaseva Divas celebrations marking Amma’s 73rd birthday in Kollam, Keralam, Shah said love, empathy and kindness united people in her presence.
Shah said the attitude of people towards Amma was like a son’s love for his mother. He said people, irrespective of the positions they hold, become human in Amma’s presence. According to him, a major inspiration from Amma’s life was understanding the grief of others.
Shah said Amma’s life, which provides joy and relief to crores of people, was three-faceted – sensibility, pro-activism and empathy. He said Amma’s hug gives motherly affection and that she had dedicated her entire life to selfless service, turning service into a big movement.
He recalled Amma’s humanitarian assistance during calamities in various parts of the country. He said Amma gifted a thousand houses to people rendered homeless by the earthquake that struck Gujarat in 2001 and that the entire area is now known as ‘Amma Village’.
Referring to Amruta activities in various fields, including education, Shah said there is an Amruta school in his village also. The Union Minister said Amma had exhibited the service aspect of Hindutwa in various sectors and that her service activities had been lauded abroad. He said Prime Minister Modiji’s anti-drug mission enjoys Amma’s blessings. Shah said Amma’s service days never end and that they would spread to more sectors.
He wished Amma on her birthday and expressed hope that the mother’s blessings would be upon everyone in the world. Amruthanandamayi Math has launched Rs 20 crore in medical aid in connection with Viswaseva Divas. It was officially announced during the occasion.
Earlier, the Math had announced that Rs 50 crore worth of charity activities would be launched along with this year’s birthday celebrations. Rs 2 crore aid for Assam flood relief was announced on the occasion. Viswaseva Divas aid includes financial assistance to the family members of victims of calamities and fishermen. Rs 20 crore has been allotted for 500 free surgeries, including free heart surgeries and organ transplantations.
Shah also awarded the Amrutakeerthi Puraskar to Adv. P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, former Governor of Mizoram and Goa, for his valued contributions in spiritual, knowledge and science sectors. Sreedharan Pillai is the former state president of the BJP and a senior and successful lawyer in Keralam. He has authored 270 books on various topics, including prose and poems in both English and Malayalam. Three universities have awarded him D.Litt. considering his exemplary contributions in various sectors.
The Amrutakeerthi Puraskar was instituted in 2001 and is awarded every year to outstanding personalities. The two-day programme includes satsang, Viswasanthi Prayer, bhajans, mass wedding, free medical aid and disaster relief activities, among others.
