Shanti Lakra- Padmashree
Ten years ago, when Shanti Teresa Lakra, a Catholic nurse [actually ANM], was posted to a dwindling tribe living in a forest on a small island in the Andaman and Nicobar chain, little did she know it would bring her one of India’s top honors.
Lakra, 38, received the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award, from President Pratibha Patil on March 24 for her dedicated service to the Onges, who are on the verge of extinction.
Onges are one of the most primitive tribes in India. The Onges are inhabiting the Little Andaman Island. This Hunting and Gathering tribe has also been settled by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration at Dugong Creek and South Bay on Little Andaman Island at present. Coconut plantation has been raised for the benefit of Onges Medical care, free ration etc. are being provided at these two Settlement by the Administration. Onges go for hunting and fishing occasionally . The present population of Onges is 105.
The nurse had to visit every family as the shy tribal people never opened up about their problems, especially maternity-related cases.
“Pregnant women never allowed us to touch their stomachs during a checkup. I had to persuade them a lot to provide medical care for them,” she said. Despite these problems, she never felt like quitting the job or look for a better life.
“I could have taken leave but it never occurred to me. I had developed an attachment with these people. My routine was set,” she said.
Shanti Lakra’s determination was such that she stayed on the island after the 2004 tsunami that killed thousands of people in southern parts of India. She had a one-year-old son with her at that time but that too didn’t deter her from serving the tribe. “I was alone there but I realized that if I left them, there would be nobody to care for them,” she said. Ms Lakra was posted at Sub Centre in Dugong Creek, which is a tribal reserve area of Little Andaman Island. Being the only medical staff, she performed all medical and health care services to Onge tribes in settlement colony as well as in deep jungle, which is the habitat of Onge Tribes.
For the dedication towards her work, Ms Lakra had also received the Florence Nightangle Award for the year 2010.
When Tsunami devastated many parts of this islands, Shanti bravely performed her duties at Dugong Creek staying with Onges adjacent to jungle in an open tent for more than two years.
She says her biggest support has been her family. Lakra had to leave her infant son with her in-laws when she went to remote villages. “It wouldn’t have been good for the child to live in a tent, with insects and snakes common during rainy seasons.”
Lakra claims her efforts have brought some positive changes in the tribe.“The tribal women have started wearing clothes. They have become more open in discussing their health problems with our medical staff,” she added. The Ongees numbered just 78 when Lakra first went to the island but now their population has risen to 105.
In 2006, she was posted to G.B. Pant Hospital in Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a federally-administered hospital. Here she takes care of the medical needs of all the tribes in the Andaman Islands. The island chain also has four other tribes - Jarawas, Andamanese, Sentinalese and Shompens.
Lakra says she never thought she would get the Padma Shri for her services. “My faith has helped me a lot. I could do all this because God was with me,” she said.She hopes the tribe will someday become part of the wider society. “They have given me so much. They will always be there in my heart.”
Lakra, 38, received the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award, from President Pratibha Patil on March 24 for her dedicated service to the Onges, who are on the verge of extinction.
Onges are one of the most primitive tribes in India. The Onges are inhabiting the Little Andaman Island. This Hunting and Gathering tribe has also been settled by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration at Dugong Creek and South Bay on Little Andaman Island at present. Coconut plantation has been raised for the benefit of Onges Medical care, free ration etc. are being provided at these two Settlement by the Administration. Onges go for hunting and fishing occasionally . The present population of Onges is 105.
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| President Pratibha Patil [left] handing the award to Shanti [right] |
When she first visited the Onges, Shanti was the only woman government employee in that cut-off forest. She had difficulty in communicating with the tribal people as she did not know their language.
“I communicated through facial expressions or sign language. It built trust in me and they started to respond,” Lakra said recently in a telephone interview.
The Union government has provided a settlement in the forest for these tribal people, who prefer to live naked and eat boiled or roast food. During the hot months the Onges prefer not to live in the settlement. Some like to live near the seashore while others like the forest. “But I had to tend to them wherever they were,” Shanti said. The 38-year-old Oraon tribal woman had to traverse difficult forest paths to reach people.
The nurse had to visit every family as the shy tribal people never opened up about their problems, especially maternity-related cases.
“Pregnant women never allowed us to touch their stomachs during a checkup. I had to persuade them a lot to provide medical care for them,” she said. Despite these problems, she never felt like quitting the job or look for a better life.
“I could have taken leave but it never occurred to me. I had developed an attachment with these people. My routine was set,” she said.
Shanti Lakra’s determination was such that she stayed on the island after the 2004 tsunami that killed thousands of people in southern parts of India. She had a one-year-old son with her at that time but that too didn’t deter her from serving the tribe. “I was alone there but I realized that if I left them, there would be nobody to care for them,” she said. Ms Lakra was posted at Sub Centre in Dugong Creek, which is a tribal reserve area of Little Andaman Island. Being the only medical staff, she performed all medical and health care services to Onge tribes in settlement colony as well as in deep jungle, which is the habitat of Onge Tribes.
For the dedication towards her work, Ms Lakra had also received the Florence Nightangle Award for the year 2010.
When Tsunami devastated many parts of this islands, Shanti bravely performed her duties at Dugong Creek staying with Onges adjacent to jungle in an open tent for more than two years.
She says her biggest support has been her family. Lakra had to leave her infant son with her in-laws when she went to remote villages. “It wouldn’t have been good for the child to live in a tent, with insects and snakes common during rainy seasons.”
Lakra claims her efforts have brought some positive changes in the tribe.“The tribal women have started wearing clothes. They have become more open in discussing their health problems with our medical staff,” she added. The Ongees numbered just 78 when Lakra first went to the island but now their population has risen to 105.
In 2006, she was posted to G.B. Pant Hospital in Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a federally-administered hospital. Here she takes care of the medical needs of all the tribes in the Andaman Islands. The island chain also has four other tribes - Jarawas, Andamanese, Sentinalese and Shompens.
Lakra says she never thought she would get the Padma Shri for her services. “My faith has helped me a lot. I could do all this because God was with me,” she said.She hopes the tribe will someday become part of the wider society. “They have given me so much. They will always be there in my heart.”
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