This Nurse Lived in a Jungle for 2 Years To Save Andaman’s Tsunami-Hit Onge Tribe

19 May 2025

Note: All images are AI-generated

In 2004, when a tsunami devastated the Andaman Islands, nurse Shanti Teresa Lakra moved her life to the jungles to save the Onge tribe, even while her own son battled malnutrition.

The tribe, reduced to just 78 people, faced deadly diseases, childbirth complications, and hunger. Shanti became their lifeline and their 'Yumma' (motherly figure).

She crossed rivers on foot, learned their language, and stayed in a tent for 2 years, treating the ill, helping women deliver babies, and rebuilding trust.

Then came the COVID pandemic. The Jarawas, who have minimal contact with outsiders, were considered particularly vulnerable to the disease.

Shanti didn’t hesitate. She led a small medical team on a dinghy through stormy Andaman seas to vaccinate the isolated tribe.

Shanti's selfless service to the tribes of Andaman earned her the Padma Shri in 2011, the Florence Nightingale Award, and a 2023 nomination for the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award from 52,000 entries worldwide.

Shanti’s story is a powerful reminder that true care goes beyond hospitals. It takes courage, sacrifice, and love.