Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah attended the 73rd birthday celebrations of Mata Amritanandamayi in Kollam, Kerala as Chief Guest. During his address, Shah praised Amma's five decades of humanitarian service, noting that she has made "wiping the tears of the suffering her spiritual practice and dharma." He highlighted specific disaster relief efforts including the construction of 1,200 houses and establishment of an entire village called 'Amma's Village' after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, with amenities including a town hall, educational facilities, and hospital.
Shah described Amma's life as comprising three facets: Bhava (devotion), Karma (action), and Karuna (compassion). He noted her global institutionalized service movement that operates 365 days a year, with current initiatives including 86 Amrita Vidyalayas across the country, planting over a million trees, and making 101 villages completely self-reliant. The organization has provided exemplary service during multiple disasters including the tsunami, Uttarakhand disaster, Wayanad landslide, and COVID-19 challenges.
Amma has conveyed messages of Hindutva and service at international platforms including the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit and the Parliament of the World's Religions. She presided over Civil-20 during India's G-20 presidency and has blessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Drug-Free India' campaign, with Shah expressing confidence that "with her blessings, the entire nation will become drug-free." Amma was born on September 27, 1953, into an impoverished family in Parayakadavu village in Kollam district.