Padma Shri awardee midwife Narasamma passes away in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Dec 25: Padma Shri awardee Sulagitti Narasamma passed away at the age of 98 years in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

She had helped deliver more than 15,000 babies in Krishnapura, a remote village in Pavagada taluk in Karnataka, free of charge over a 70-year period.

Sulagitti' in Kannada means 'delivery work'. In 1940, and at the age of 20, Narasamma assisted at her first birth when she helped with the delivery of her aunt's baby. She learnt her midwifery skills from her grandmother, Marigemma, a midwife who also helped to deliver five of Narasamma's own babies.

By 2018, and at the age of 97 years old, Narasamma had helped to deliver more than 15,000 babies during her years, and has been described as 'the go-to midwife of Krishnapura'.

Her work has been honoured with the National Citizen's award of India in 2012 and the country's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri in 2018.