Life Story Dr. Vikas Amte (Social Activist) ciety at large to take note of them. The positive response it created is reflected in the lives artists of this group along with the whole Anandwan residents. In a way, it has been successful in filling the otherwise dull and drab lives of the performers as well as the entire leprosy-stricken and physical ly-chal lenged residents of Anandwan, with colours of music and gaiety. In 2016, Anandwan began a new project for propagating Baba Amte’s legacy of protecting and caring the environment by afforestation of an area. For this project, Shri. Baba Amte with H. H. Dalai Lama Dr. Vikas Amte chose a Japanese method called Miyawaki method, which has been stabilized in weed, thus improving farm productivity. His idea of low-cost timberless houses created a win-win India by Afforestt’s Shubhendu Sharma. These forests are planted situation for both the consumers and the manufacturers. through a very nature-friendly method. All native tree species in Customised to Indian needs by simplifying the technology and the region in various layers such as tree, sub-tree and canopy are constructed by employing disabled artisans, it provided a live- selected and included in a justifiable manner. lihood to many. By making use of plastic and rubber along with organic waste for the construction of check dams for helping distressed farmers acted as a driving force that provides economic viability and job opportunity to the inmates of Anandwan. Venturing into new endeavours, Dr. Vikas Amte launched ‘Swaranandwan’ at Anandwan in 2002. A unique musical orchestra with the talented leprosy patients and physically-challenged residents of Anandwan, Swaranandwan is a platform to showcase their skills and forget their inhibiting handicaps. It has performed over 3000 times all over Maharashtra and Delhi. The three-hour musical extravaganza includes popular Marathi and Hindi songs, Assamese Bamboo dance, tribal dance, mimicry, fol k dances and much more. More than 400 people are part of this fun-filled musical troupe. This orchestra is believed to build an extraordinary bond between the healthy hearts of the disabled and the society, thus creating a ‘Pain-Friendship’ between the two! Dr. Vikas Amte likes to cal l Swaranandwan as a ‘Therapeutic Theatre’ which provides them a psychosocio rejuvenating therapy by harnessing their latent talents. It has become a medium for these differentlySaji Thomas Flying Aircraft abled artists to unleash their untapped potential, which has obligated the so-
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Another peculiarity is that all these trees are planted at a very close distance after soil testing with appropriate mulching and usage of natural manure. This scientifically proven method has been replicated multiple times by Scientist Miyawaki and Afforestt in various countries of the world. In another 10 years, it will be a fully grown forest creating hundreds of tonnes of food for birds and oxygen for human beings. You can call it a process of balancing the carbon we emit and to gain back mother earth’s natural vigour.