2019 shall be remembered as the year that honoured unsung heroes from the crowd of commons. After inspiring story of Odisha’s Padma Shri ‘Chai Wala’ who imparts free education to poor kids from his meagre earnings from tea stall, here comes another epitome of humankind, Friederike Irina Bruning who was one of the recipients of fourth highest civilian honour – Padma Shri award on this Republic Day.
The 61-year-old German woman Bruning, originally from Berlin, was conferred with the Padma Shri this year for giving shelter to as many as 1,200 sick, abandoned and injured cows.
Fondly known as ‘gau mata ki aashraydaatri’, she is always appreciated for her unceasing efforts towards animal welfare.
When Bruning, came to India as a tourist at the tender age of 20 in 1978, little did she know what destiny had in store for her.
Popularly called by name Sudevi Mataji, she realised that her life needed a direction and a mentor. She found her life’s purpose in tending to sick and needy cows.
“I came as a tourist and understood that to progress in life, you need a guru. I went in search of a guru in Radha Kund,” she said while narrating her journey in Mathura two years ago.
Also read: Meet Padma Shri ‘chai wala’ who imparts education from tea stall earnings
Living in Mathura, Sudevi runs a cow shelter called ‘Radha Surabhi Gaushala’ where she works with about 60 people and houses 1,200 cows. The Gaushala even runs a morning to evening emergency ambulance service that goes out whenever notified about an injured or abandoned cow.
For maintaining and running the gaushala, she requires Rs 20 to 22 lakh per month, which she mostly manages through donations. She spends about Rs 30 lakh on workers’ salaries, food grains and medicines for cows. According to the reports, she manages her expenses through her inherited property from where she gets Rs 6 to Rs 7 lakh every month.
She believes that her cows are her children, her family who she can never leave.
