Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Padma Venkatraman

9/16/09 – There have been a few people in this world that have forever changed it for the better. Gandhi, Churchill, Adams, Lincoln. I got to talk with a lady of that caliber today. Her name is Padma Venkatraman.

Padma thinks of others first. She is the daughter of the late Ramaswami Venkatraman (former president of India) and could live whatever life of luxury she chooses. But she chooses to help others. She has changed what it means to have leprosy in Southern India and made the lives of countless people (both with and without leprosy) better. She is also the 2009 Enterprise Mentors Humanitarian of the Year, and has an amazing list of accomplishments.

I first met Padma in the Fall of 2005. I was a volunteer with Rising Star Outreach, an outstanding organization that helps people with Leprosy. I was so incredibly lucky to be able to work with Padma and shadow her on her visits. We would go to leprosy colonies that were sometimes a couple hours away and I would chat with her about microlending, life, religion, everything. Never once did I end a conversation anything less than thoroughly impressed with her.

We met with Padma today and the meeting went really well. She is so passionate about helping people and believes in the idea of Nivi Empowerment. Padma gave some great suggestions and will help us out more when she returns from her trip to the United States to accept the Humanitarian of the Year Award. It is difficult to overstate how valuable it is to have her input and help.