The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Love for destitute takes her closer to Nobel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 06, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

Love for destitute takes her closer to Nobel

Jayaraj Manepalli

She is one of the three women from State proposed for the prize

SERVICE IS GOD'S GRACE: Prameela Murari.

TENALI: A person with service motive does not crave for awards or special recognition. People's recognition is ultimate for them and so is the case of Prameela Murari from Tenali in Guntur district. Ask any beggar in this small town they will promptly take you to the place where they were `offered hope'.

Drawing attention

Thirty-year-old Prameela Murari, one of the three nominees from Andhra Pradesh for the prestigious `1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005', provides the hope here. Under this project, 1,000 women have been proposed for this year's Nobel Peace Prize and the official nomination letter, co-signed by Swiss Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey, has been handed in to the Nobel Prize Committee in Oslo in January 2005.

This project expects to draw worldwide attention to the impressive activities of women who work for a peaceful future.

The Nobel Peace Prize is usually awarded to personalities who assume high responsibility in peace processes. Since 1901, when the Peace Prize was first awarded, 80 men, 20 organisations and 12 women have received it for their peace-promoting commitments.

"I do not believe in hearing a lot of lecture on love. It is our actions that matter," Prameela, who maintains a low profile, told The Hindu , and gave the whole credit for the recognition to `God's grace.' "Not many people can afford medical care. The people who live on the streets do not have money or people to look after them," she observes taking cue from Mother Teresa's work.

After completing her nursing course, she heard about an HIV-affected woman in Kuppam who was stoned to death by her own people. She was moved by the sight of the destitute getting drenched in rain while she walked back home from her job in a private hospital. After a two-year stint in the job, Prameela decided to devote her life to the service of the poor and the destitute.

Prameela's marriage to a registered medical practitioner, Chiranjeevi, was never a hindrance to her commitment. On the contrary, he encouraged her a lot by joining her on the visits to slums.

The words of Jesus in the Bible `Love your neignbour as thyself' was her inspiration. My four siblings, who were skeptical about my work initially, later supported me, she said.

Mother of two children, Mercy, 11, and Thomas Prince, 7, she saved many persons from the deathbed. She recollects an incident in Kattevaram slum, which is her most unforgettable experience.

A pregnant tribal woman was beaten up by her husband and her in-laws and left alone in the hut. The girl consumed poison, intending to end her life out of frustration. Timely help from her saved the life. Prameela does not crave for the Nobel Prize and thinks this recognition was satisfying enough.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section

RTC takes hard stand on striking staff

Love for destitute takes her closer to Nobel

JAC condemns running of private buses

RTC staff strike near total

They turn sand to bread

Vijayawada to be developed into a `mega city'

RTC operates skeleton services in Kakinada

Tribal land survey works reviewed

Lions Club plans to set up free hospital