Padma Shri awardee Shanti Teresa Lakra – a nurse by profession at GB Panth Hospital in Port Blair – has been named among the top ten 10 finalists for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2023, which honors nursing staff across the globe. , Photo Credit: PTI
As the Covid pandemic spreads across the world, a 49-year-old nurse – Shanti Teresa Lakra – who works at GB Pant Hospital in Port Blair, to travel by a boat to Tirur island to vaccinate the primitive Jarawa tribe Cyclonic tides are encountered. Protect them from being wiped out by disease in 2021.
At the age of 51, she is currently being considered for the prestigious Global Nursing Award 2023.
Two years ago, while traveling through stormy seas, Ms. Shanti, who was leading a small medical team, once thought she would be unable to make it when her canoe got caught in a storm in the Andaman Sea.
“The sea was exceptionally rough, and we thought we were all about to drown… but God willed it otherwise, and we managed to reach and successfully vaccinate the Jarawas. Also managed to explain about the precautionary measures,” said Ms. Shanti PTI from London.
The Jarawa, who have minimal contact with outsiders, were thought to be particularly vulnerable to disease as the tribe has little medical assistance available at the best of times.
Over the years, Ms. Shanti’s dedicated service to the primitive tribes of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has paid off as she was selected among the top ten finalists for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2023, which honors nursing staff across the globe. Is.
She came into limelight in 2004 when she came out to work among the Onge tribals after the devastating tsunami, to provide them relief and support after death and destruction by nature.
On 3 May, she received a call from Aster Guardian Global Nursing Management that she had been selected as one of the top ten finalists for the prestigious award. “After the call, I couldn’t hold back my tears… I was excited,” she said.
“The awards ceremony will be held today at 7pm at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, and I am very excited to see who (out of ten) will take first prize. I am thankful to my parents, my husband, my son and my elder sister for supporting me all these years.
He said that working among the primitive and nomadic tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been his passion.
They were selected from 52,000 entries sent by 202 countries, including 13,156 from India. The first prize carries a reward of over Rs 2 crore.
In 2011, Ms. Shanti was awarded the Padma Shri for her outstanding service to the tribal community of Andaman and Nicobar. Over the years, he gained the trust of the shy tribal people, crossed the language barrier and relentlessly worked for the welfare of vulnerable tribal groups.
She said, “If I win this award, I would like to dedicate the rest of my life to the welfare of these tribal people, who call me ‘Yumma’ in their language.”