Baba Balia on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Baba Balia (born in April 1954) is a spiritual guru and preacher from
Baba Balia (born in April 1954) is a spiritual guru and preacher from Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. He is a social reformer trying to eradicate superstitions, mobilising support to members of the vulnerable sections of society, opposing child marriage and supporting widow remarriage, providing relief to victims of natural calamities like floods and cyclones, and taking up several similar activities.
The activities taken up by Baba Balia include:
*Organizing dowry-free marriages of girls belonging to vulnerable sections of society
*Campaigning for widows' right to live in dignity
*Organising "Bratoponayan sanskar" (Sacred Thread Ceremony) of poor boys every year
*Advocating health check-up both bride and bride-groom before solemnization of marriage instead of matching of horoscopes
*Creating awareness through public campaigns to take medical aid for recovery from snake bite instead of resorting to help from wizards
*Organising rescue and relief operations during natural disasters like flood, cyclone and fire in inaccessible coastal area of Odisha
*Advocating for protection of forests and conservation of bio-diversity
*Working for the revival and popularization of "Lokanatya", "Pala" and "Sankirtan", the traditional cultural forms of folk dance and music
Recognition
*In the year 2022, Govt of India conferred thePadma Shri
Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...
award, the third highest award in the Padma series of awards, on Srimad Baba Balia for his distinguished service in the field of social work. The award is in recognition of his service as a "Social and Spiritual Leader from Jagatsinghapur working with Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
's poor and backward communities".
Additional reading
*Images of Baba Balia Ashram at Marjita, Odisha: *References
{{Padma Award winners of Odisha Indian spiritual teachers Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work Social workers from Odisha 1954 births Living people