The Imperfects IMPERFIX: Dr. Kiran Martin - Leadership
May 17, 2024
Dr. Kiran Martin, Founder of ASHA in India, shares her inspiring journey of providing healthcare and education to slum dwellers. She discusses breaking caste barriers through a feet washing movement, emphasizing humility and unity. The podcast highlights the transformative power of acts of service and generosity in nurturing compassion and breaking down social barriers.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Entering The Slum To Treat Cholera
- Dr. Kiran Martin jumped a fence into a Delhi slum during a cholera outbreak and began treating people without institutional backing.
- She describes the squalor: excrement, pigs, rats, flies, and stagnant dirty water making it unfit for human habitation.
Humility Requires Demonstrable Action
- Caste hierarchy can infiltrate even well-intentioned teams and community work unless actively challenged.
- Demonstrating humility needs concrete actions, not only moral lessons, to shift deep social barriers.
The First Feet Washing Moment
- Kiran had a 'light bulb' decision to wash the feet of a Dalit woman to show equal worth and dignity.
- She washed the woman's feet tenderly, kissed them, and the moment became deeply emotional for both of them.