Prakash Amte

Prakash Amte is a medical doctor and social worker from Maharashtra, India. Son of Magsaysay awardee and legend Baba Amte, he and his wife, Dr. Mandakini Amte were awarded the Magsaysay Award for ''Community Leadership" in 2008 for their philanthropic work in the form of the Lok Biradari Prakalp amongst the Madia Gonds in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra and the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. 

Early life
He obtained a medical degree from GMC(Government Medical College), Nagpur. His brother Vikas Amte, also a medical doctor, coordinates the activities at their father's ashram at Anandwan and manages the satellite projects and hospitals.

Lok Biradari Prakalp

After completing his M.B.B.S. when he was studying for M.S. he was granted land by Maharashtra Govt. for his project. He left his M.S. and moved to Hemalkasa to start the Lok Biradari Prakalp in 1973, a project for the development of tribal people, most of whom were the Madia Gond in the forests of Gadchirolli district in 1973. He lived and worked there without electricity, telephone etc. for almost twenty years and at times performed emergency surgical procedures without electricity. ( Interview to Raju Parulekar on Marathi TV channel ETV Marathi, Programme name Samvad) The project transformed into three things: a hospital, Lok Biradari Prakalp Davakhana, a residential school Lok Biradari Prakalp Ashram Shala and an orphanage for injured wild animals the Amte's Animal Ark. It seeks to improve health and educational services for tribals in the area. Hemalkasa lies in a tribal belt and the project provides health care to about 40000 individuals annually. The Lok Biradari Prakalp Ashram School has over 600 students, residents and day scholars.

A countryside that belongs to the rural folk. To the tribals; the very people for whom the Lok Biradari Prakalp was established by the revered Murlidhar Devidas Amte (Baba Amte) in December 1973. The eyes of the Baba light up at the mere mention of the project. The pride of successful service to the tribals by his son, shows in that gleam in his eyes.

Amte’s Animal Ark 

Amte's animal ark is an Orphanage cum Rescue Centre of wild animal's The Ark is an orphanage for young wild animals, whose parents have been killed by the tribal people only for food and not for fun or entertainment. Amte was successful to get these animals in exchange of food grains and clothes. The Animal Ark today has a wide variety of animals like leopards, sloth bears, snakes, birds, deer, owls, crocodiles, hyenas and monkeys.

Awards

Dr. Prakash Amte has received many national and international awards, some of the notable awards are:

2012 - Lokmanya Tilak Award- Jointly with Dr Vikas Amte

2009 - Godfrey Philips Lifetime Achievement Award

2008 - Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership - Jointly with his wife Dr Mandakini Amte

2002 - Padma Shri, Government of India

1984 - Adivasi Sevak Award, from Government of Maharashtra, India


In 1995, State of Monaco issued a postal stamp to honour Dr. Prakash & Dr. Mandakini Amte.

Magsaysay award 
He was awarded the Magsaysay Award for community leadership for 2008, jointly with wife Mandakini, his citation reads as follows:

“Enhancing the capacity of the Madia Gonds to adapt positively in today's India, through healing and teaching and other compassionate interventions"

In popular culture 
Biopic film, starring Nana Patekar, as Dr. Prakash Amte and Sonali Kulkarni as Dr. Mandakini Amte Dr Prakash Baba Amte : The Real Hero, released on 10th October,2014.The film has been released in three languages Hindi,Marathi and English and shows the biopic of the living legend.