Amma

Matha Amrithanandamayi Devi,is known as Amma or mother. She was born on September 27, 1953. She is also known as the hugging saint because of the long hours she spent in meetings to see and hug each and every visitor. The Amrithandamayi Math is doing relief works to help the flood victims of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Amritanandamayi+Math+takes+up+50-cr+relief+work&artid=ff3slrTWgC4=&SectionID=1ZkF/jmWuSA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=X7s7i|xOZ5Y=&SEO=

Amma was born in a poor family in Kerala, India, with the name Sudhamani. Later in her youth, she started her Ashram and started to allow followers. She started many humanitarian activities, such as food and clothing programs, schools, hospitals etc. http://www.amma.org/humanitarian-activities/index.html

The beauty and charm of selfless love and service should not die away from the face of this earth. The world should know that a life of dedication is possible, that a life inspired by love and service to humanity is possible

Behind all great and unforgettable events is the heart. Love and a selfless attitude underlie all truly great deeds. Behind any good cause, you will find somebody who has renounced everything and dedicated his or her life to it. http://www.amritapuri.org/6762/selfless-serivce/

Sreeni Pattathanam, an atheist activist wrote a book Matha Amritanandamayi: Sacred Stories and Realities" which discusses the atheist view points of Amma. There were public protests against the publisher and author of this book in Kerala http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sreeni_Pattathanam