The Hindu : National : I will continue to come to Baripada, says Gladys

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Friday, Apr 01, 2005

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I will continue to come to Baripada, says Gladys

By Prafulla Das

BHUBANESWAR, MARCH 31 . Gladys Staines, who was conferred the Padma Shri on Monday, is firm in her resolve to serve the leprosy patients in Baripada town of Orissa's Mayurbhanj district, while also taking care of her 91-year-old father near Brisbane and spending time with her daughter in north Queensland.

About 60 leprosy patients are undergoing treatment at the Mayurbhanj Leprosy Home that Graham Stuart Staines, the slain Australian missionary and husband of Ms. Staines, ran for long years. A 10-bed hospital also serves the needs of other patients.

"I am not going to neglect the leprosy patients. I have been in regular contact with the Leprosy Home and the Graham Staines Memorial Hospital. I will continue to come to Baripada from time to time," Ms. Staines told The Hindu over phone from Baripada this afternoon.

"I feel very honoured that I have been given the award. I thank everyone who encouraged me to work for the leprosy patients, particularly, after the death of my husband and two sons,'' she said, on her being conferred the Padma Shri in recognition of the work for the leprosy-affected people.

A trained nurse,Ms. Staines was managing the Leprosy Home on a day-to-day basis after Graham Staines and their two sons, Philip and Timothy, were killed at Manoharpur in January 1999.

However, she left for Australia in July last year to attend to her ailing father and also to help her daughter, Esther, to pursue higher studies.

Accompanied by a friend and her daughter, Ms. Staines reached Baripada on Wednesday evening, after receiving the award in New Delhi and going on a trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. She is on a month's visit to India and is expected to spend at least two weeks in Baripada.

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