13 Facts About Sulagitti Narasamma

Sulagitti Narasamma was an Indian midwife from Pavagada town, Tumakuru district of Karnataka state.

Sulagitti Narasamma performed more than 20,000 traditional deliveries free of charge over a 70-year period of service in deprived regions of Karnataka with no medical facilities.

Sulagitti Narasamma's work was honored with the National Citizen's award of India in 2012 and the country's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, in 2018.

Sulagitti Narasamma did not attend school and grew up illiterate; she married her husband, Anjinappa, at the age of 12.

Sulagitti Narasamma had 12 children, although four died when young, and 36 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Sulagitti Narasamma learnt her midwifery skills from her grandmother, Marigemma, a midwife who helped to deliver five of Narasamma's own babies.

In 1940, at the age of 20, Sulagitti Narasamma assisted at her first birth when she helped with the delivery of her aunt's baby.

Sulagitti Narasamma had the opportunity to keep practising her midwifery skills whenever nomadic tribes arrived at her village.

Sulagitti Narasamma learned the art of preparing natural medicine for pregnant women and soon became competent in checking the health and position of the baby.

Sulagitti Narasamma was reportedly able to detect the pulse of the foetus while in the womb, without the use of any instruments.

Sulagitti Narasamma was admitted to the Siddaganga Hospital and Research Centre in November 2018 and was later referred to BGS Hospitals on 29 November 2018.

Sulagitti Narasamma died at BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals in Kengeri, Bengaluru, Karnataka, on 25 December 2018 at the age of 98 of chronic lung disease.

On 25 December 2018, Sulagitti Narasamma's body was kept at Glass House in Tumakuru for the public to pay tributes, and on 26 December 2018 was buried with full state honours at Gangasandra village on the outskirts of the Tumakuru city.