Mata Amritanandamayima
(known as Amma or Mother)
Amma's Australian Ashram at http://www.ammaaustralia.org.au
or email: ashram@ammaaustralia.org.au
AMMA'S LIFE
Born in a remote coastal village in Kerala, Southern India, Amma says that she always knew that there was a higher reality beyond this changing world of names and forms. Even as a child, Amma expressed love and compassion to everyone. Amma says, "An unbroken stream of love flows from Amma to all beings in the universe. This is Amma's inborn nature."
.....Today Amma spends most of the year travelling throughout India and the world in order to uplift suffering humanity through her words and the comfort of her embrace. Her ashram is home to 3,000 people, and thousands more visit every day from all over India and the world.
......"In the end," Amma says, "love is the only medicine that can heal the wounds of the world. In this universe, it is love that binds everything together. As this awareness dawns within us, all disharmony will cease. Abiding peace alone will reign."
INTERNATIONAL FORUMS
1993: Amma addresses the Parliament of the World's Religions' 100th Anniversary in Chicago. The Parliament elects Amma as the "President of the Hindu Faith."
1993: The international journal 'Hinduism Today' confers upon amma the Hindu Renaissance Award.
1995: Amma addresses the Interfaith Celebrations at the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, New York. 2000 - Amma is a keynote speaker at the Millennium World peace Summit, UN General assembly, New York.
2002: Amma is the keynote speaker at the Global Peace Initiative of Women Religious & Spiritual leaders at the UN, Geneva. 2002 - The World Movement for Non-violence confers upon Amma the Gandhi-King Award for Non-violence at the UN in Geneva.
2003: In honour of Amma's 50th birthday, people from all around the world come together in Kochi, Kerala, to participate in Amritavarsham50, an international gathering for peace and harmony.
2004: Amma delivers a keynote address at the 2004 parliament of the World's Religions, Barcelona, Spain.
MILESTONES IN AMMA'S HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES
1987:
The first school and branch Ashram open in Kodungallur, Kerala.
1989:
The Ashram saves a dilapidated orphanage and school in Kerala.
The Ashram starts its Industrial Training Centre, a vocational training school, in Kerala.
1990:
The School of Applied Sciences begins as the Amrita Institute of Computer Technology in Kollam, Kerala.
1994:
The first teachers for tribal villages are sent to remote areas of northern Kerala.
The School of Engineering opens at the Coimbatore campus, Tamil Nadu.
1995:
The Amrita Kripa Hospice for cancer patients is inaugurated in Mumbai.
1996:
The Amrita Kuteeram Project to build 25,000 free houses is launched.
The School of Business opens at the Coimbatore campus, Tamil Nadu.
The College of Pharmaceutical Sciences opens at the Kochi Ashram.
1997:
The School for Hearing and Speech Improvement is established in Trissur, Kerala.
1998:
AIMS Multi-Speciality Hospital is inaugurated in Kochi by the Prime Minister of India.
The Prime Minister gives a symbolic key to Amrita Kuteeram's first 5,000 free homes in Kerala.
The Care Home for the Elderly, Anbu Illam, opens in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu.
Amrita Nidhi, the free pension project for destitute women, begins in Kerala.
2001:
The Gujarat Earthquake Disaster Relief operation begins; 1,200 homes are built.
The Tribal Peoples' Project aimed at the upliftment of poor rural comminities is inaugurated in Kerala.
2003:
The Government confers 'Deemed-to-be-University' status on Amma's institutions of higher learning.
The Colleges of Medicine and Nursing open at AIMS Hospital, Kochi.
The Schools of Engineering open at the Bangalore and Amritapuri Campuses.
The School of Dentistry is established at AIMS Hospital, Kochi.
The School of Science & Management is inaugurated at the Mysore Ashram.
The School of Journalism opens at the Coimbatore campus, Tamil Nadu.
Amritavarsham50, Amma's 50th birthday celebration for world peace, is attended by the president, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of India, as well as dignitaries from around the world.
The Amrita Kripa AIDS Care Home is inaugurated in Trivandrum.
The Amrita Kripa Neeti Pratishtan, Free Legal Aid Forum, pledges its services free to the poor.
The first free wedding ceremonies for poor families are sponsored by the Ashram.
The Ashram starts centres for adult vocational training in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The Care Home for the Elderly in Kerala is inaugurated.
The integrated Amrita Meditation Techniquesm is launched worldwide.
2004:
The Amrita Kripa Hospital for Tribal people opens in Wayanad, Kerala.
The Biochemical Research Centre is established at the Amritapuri campus.
Amrita Research Labns are set up at three camuses of the Amrita University.
The Amrita Ayurvedic Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre is inaugurated.
2005:
The Amrita Tsunami-Disaster Aid Fund of $23.3 million U.S.D. is announced.
The Teachers' Training (B.Ed) College in Mysore is inaugurated.
Two Care Homes for the elderly are established in Karnataka.