Narasamma was best known for extending free midwife services to women. (Twitter)

Sulagitti Narasamma, the midwife of Krishnapura, a remote village in Pavagada taluk in Karnataka, passed away in Bengaluru on Tuesday. She was 98. She breathed her last at the BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals. She was suffering from a chronic lung decease and was reportedly on ventilator support. The nonagenarian was honoured with the Padma Shri in March this year for her role in delivering babies safely in remote villages. She is said to have helped deliver more than 15,000 babies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the demise of the renowned social worker and Padma Shri Sulagitti Narasamma. In a tweet, Modi said, Sulagitti Narasamma’s efforts of providing midwifery services in Karnataka will always be remembered.

PRIME MINISTER’S TWEET:

Saddened by the demise of Padma Shri Sulagitti Narasamma Ji. Her efforts of providing midwifery services in Karnataka will always be remembered. Her kindness endeared her to the poorer sections of society. My thoughts are with her family and vast number of admirers. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 25, 2018

The Prime Minister said the social worker’s kindness endeared her to the poorer sections of society.

LIFE

Born in 1920, Sagitta Narasamma hailed from a community that was at the time referred to as ‘untouchable’. Married at the age of 12 to Anjinappa, she is survived by four sons three daughters and 36 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was best known for extending free midwife services to women. Though Sulagitti was illiterate, she had learnt this skill from her grandmother, Maremma, at a very young age.

AWARDS

Recognising Narasamma’s service to the society, Tumkur University had conferred her honorary doctorate in 2014. She was awarded the Devaraja Urs award in 2012 and Kittur Rani Chennamma award in 2013.