How Baba Amte dedicated his Life for the Madia Gond tribal community

In the heart of Maharashtra’s dense Gadchiroli forests, where roads are few, wild animals roam free, and the pulse of ancient tribal life still beats, exists a place that has quietly rewritten the story of development in India. This is Hemalkasa, home to the Lok Biradari Prakalp, a social experiment that has evolved into a full-fledged humanitarian mission. What began as a modest effort to reach out to the Madia Gond tribal community has now grown into a global symbol of what compassion, courage, and community can achieve together. 

The story of Lok Biradari is rooted in the vision of Baba Amte, a lawyer-turned-social reformer who gave up a privileged life to live among those society had cast aside. Having already transformed the lives of leprosy patients at Anandwan, Baba Amte turned his attention in the early 1970s to another invisible population, the forest-dwelling tribals of eastern Maharashtra, cut off from healthcare, education, and fundamental human rights.

With his son, Dr. Prakash Amte, a freshly graduated surgeon, and daughter-in-law Dr. Mandakini Amte, a medical professional herself, Baba Amte set foot into a region with no electricity, no roads, and no modern amenities. Over the decades, Lok Biradari Hemalkasa has grown into a remarkable model of integrated development. It houses a hospital that treats thousands annually, a school that educates children from tribal villages, and even an animal rescue centre that reflects the project's deep-rooted ethic of coexistence.

A life dedicated to tribal welfare

Murlidhar Devidas Amte, widely known as Baba Amte, was born in 1914 in Hinganghat, Maharashtra, into a wealthy family. But a deep unease with social inequality haunted him from an early age. This inner conflict came to a head when he encountered a man dying from leprosy. While most would turn away in fear, Baba Amte instead embraced the man and tended to his wounds.  He left behind his career and possessions to dedicate himself to the service of the most vulnerable, starting with leprosy patients, and later, India’s tribal communities. 

After establishing Anandwan, a self-sustaining community for leprosy patients, Baba Amte felt drawn to the untouched interiors of Maharashtra, where tribal communities, such as the Madia Gonds, lived in isolation. They lacked access to even the most basic needs: healthcare, education, and human rights. Exploited by forest contractors and neglected by policymakers, their culture was rich, but their opportunities were few.

In 1973, Baba Amte, along with his son, Dr. Prakash Amte, and daughter-in-law, Dr. Mandakini Amte, set out for Hemalkasa, a remote forest village in Gadchiroli.xi The mission was clear, not to “reform” the tribals, but to empower them. Thus began the Lok Biradari Prakalp, meaning Brotherhood of People, founded on the principles of equality, empathy, and shared living.

Working to improve social infrastructure

With almost no infrastructure, the Amte family built Lok Biradari Prakalp from the ground up. At the core of the project were three pillars: healthcare, education, and wildlife conservation. Not only did he build a hospital that provided free medical treatment, surgeries, and emergency care, but he also built a residential school for tribal children.

Baba Amte also opened an animal rescue centre, now known as Amte’s Animal Ark, where orphaned and injured wild animals are cared for. This effort taught children and adults to respect and coexist with wildlife, a vital message in the forested ecosystem of Hemalkasa.

How was Hemalkasa transformed?

Hemalkasa was once a village without electricity, roads, or medical facilities. Today, it is a vibrant and self-sustaining rural ecosystem. Despite its forested surroundings and ongoing challenges like transportation and monsoon isolation, Hemalkasa continues to thrive.

Dr. Prakash Amte, born in 1948, grew up watching his father serve leprosy patients at Anandwan. Inspired by this life of purpose, he completed his MBBS from Government Medical College, Nagpur, but instead of taking up a lucrative urban career, he chose the path of service. He and his wife, Dr. Mandakini Amte, also a medical graduate, settled in Hemalkasa, raising their children in the forest, running a hospital without electricity, and often operating with kerosene lamps and reused surgical tools. Their dedication turned them into a symbol of fearless rural medicine. 

Under Dr. Prakash Amte’s leadership, the Lok Biradari Prakalp has continued to grow. The hospital today treats over 50,000 patients a year, many of them walking barefoot from distant villages. The school has empowered hundreds of tribal students, many of whom pursue higher education and return to serve their communities. 

Amte’s Animal Ark is home to rescued leopards, snakes, birds, deer, and more, raising awareness about wildlife protection among the locals. In recognition of their pioneering work, Dr. Prakash and Dr. Mandakini Amte were awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2008. Their story was also depicted in the Marathi biographical film Dr. Prakash Baba Amte: The Real Hero.

The Current State of Lok Biradari Hemalkasa

With over 100 full-time staff members, support from volunteers across the world, and the involvement of the third generation of the Amte family, the project continues to evolve. Modern technologies like solar power, computers in classrooms, and internet access are slowly being introduced, without compromising on cultural sensitivity. New initiatives in maternal care, digital learning, and environmental awareness are being added every year. But the soul of Hemalkasa remains unchanged.