{{Short description|Indian social worker (born 1970)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Uma Preman | image = Uma Preman.jpg | caption = Preman in c. 2016 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|5|31|df=y}} | occupation = Social worker | organization = Shanthi Medical Information Center | citizenship = | spouse = Preman Thaikad | website = {{URL|santhimedicalinfo.org}} }} '''Uma Preman''' (born 31 May 1970) is an Indian social worker from Kerala. She is the founder of Santhi Medical Information Center, a nonprofit charitable organization that provides medical guidance, care and rehabilitation for patients with limited income and resources.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2020-02-12 |title=An 'unhappy marriage' that has saved thousands of lives |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-51398525 |access-date=2021-05-01}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2017-09-07 |title=Comatose Indian worker finds guardian in Kerala |url=https://gulfnews.com/going-out/society/comatose-indian-worker-finds-guardian-in-kerala-1.2086453 |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=gulfnews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
== Biography ==
=== Early life and marriage === Uma Preman, born to TK Balakrishnan and Thankamani in Palakkad, Kerala spent her formative years in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. At the age of eight, her mother abandoned the family for another man, leaving Uma to care for herself and her three-year-old brother.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2015-04-22 |title=Destiny, don't meddle with Uma! |url=https://englisharchives.mathrubhumi.com/features/women/english-news-1.193853 |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=English Archives}}</ref> At the age of 18, Uma travelled to Kolkata to meet Mother Teressa and join Missionaries of Charity. After a few months of service, she was assigned to the Mission at Kerala, where she served as a caregiver for elderly and terminally ill patients.<ref name=":4" /> During her service, Uma reunited with her mother, who was facing financial difficulties after separation with her second husband. Uma's mother urged her to marry Preman Thaikad, a wealthy travel agent who promised to pay off her debt in return. Uma soon found out that Preman, who was 26 years older than her, was suffering from a severe form of tuberculosis. Due to Preman's worsening condition, the couple spent most of their time together in hospitals. Preman died seven years later in 1997.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" />
=== Santhi Medical Information Center === During frequent hospital visits with Preman, Uma noticed the difficulties faced by rural patients in receiving medical help and information and offered to assist them. After Preman died, Uma continued receiving pleas for help, which prompted her to set up a medical advisory organization, Santhi Medical Information Center (SMIC), in Kottapadi, a village near Guruvayur.<ref name=":0" /> She travelled to many cities to gather information on available medical resources for specific ailments. Upon returning home, she sold the house inherited from Preman and set up an office in a rented house. As the service grew popular, Uma started receiving charitable donations from various sources,<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=George |first=Joseph |date=2015-11-16 |title=Why this widow donated her kidney to a stranger; Now UAE NRIs help her - News - Emirates - Emirates24{{!}}7 |url=https://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/why-this-widow-donated-her-kidney-to-a-stranger-now-uae-nris-help-her-2015-11-16-1.610616 |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=www.emirates247.com |language=en}}</ref> which allowed SMIC to move to a permanent location and increase the scope of the services provided. Over the years, the organization added ambulance services, kidney dialysis facilities and rehabilitation clinics for paraplegic patients.<ref name=":4" /> As of 2019, SMIC facilitated 20,500 heart surgeries, 650 kidney transplantations and kidney dialysis for 2,000,000 patients.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=ஃப்ரீடா,வெங்கடேஷ்.ஆர் |first=ஜெனி |date=2019-12-19 |title=துயர்களை வென்ற மனுஷி! |url=https://www.vikatan.com/gender/how-uma-preman-from-coimbatore-is-leading-a-change |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Ananda Vikatan |language=ta}}</ref> The organization has also helped repatriate and rehabilitate migrant Indian workers with chronic conditions.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-23 |title='Guardian angel' flies home second bedridden Indian worker from Dubai |url=https://gulfnews.com/going-out/society/guardian-angel-flies-home-second-bedridden-indian-worker-from-dubai-1.2241101 |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=gulfnews.com |language=en}}</ref>
=== Organ donation === In 1999, Uma became one of the first altruistic organ donors in India, when she donated one of her kidneys to Salil Balakrishnan, a 24-year-old patient with kidney failure. Because of strict government regulation for organ donation in India, Uma had to present her case before the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu and get approval.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goklany |first=Tania |date=2016-11-10 |title=Are Altruistic Donations The Answer To India's Organ Deficit? |url=https://sites.ndtv.com/moretogive/donating-to-a-stranger-the-world-of-altruistic-donations-1050/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=NDTV-Fortis More to Give: Be an Organ Donor |language=en-US}}</ref> In the following decades, Uma's role in public education about organ transplant along with campaigns led by Davis Chiramel and Kochouseph Chittilappilly helped Kerala become the leading state in India for organ donations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Choudhury |first=Kushanava |title=Kerala's mass movement for organ donation |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/reportage/the-body-politic-kerala-movement-organ-donation |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=The Caravan |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-01 |title=Why Kerala is leading the way in organ donation |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/how-an-evangelist-is-leading-the-way-for-organ-donation-in-kerala/story-IGRq5YaqdgWyUewBadbakL.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
=== Santhi Gramam === In 2014, Uma initiated ''Santhi Gramam'' (lit. Village of peace), a social welfare project aimed at improving the standard of living of locals in the Attapadi tribal taluk, Palakkad, Kerala. Under this project, SMIC set up several healthcare and educational institutions including basic infrastructure like water tanks, toilets and community kitchens. The project also created employment opportunities by incentivizing organic farming and cottage industries manufacturing agricultural products.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Pal |first=Sanchari |title=How One Dedicated Woman Set up Kerala's 'Village of Peace' |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/94610/santhi-gramam-attappady-uma-preman-kerala/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=www.thebetterindia.com |date=6 April 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> A major focus of the project was on improving menstrual health of young females. As parts of the initiative, a sanitary napkin manufacturing unit was set up in Attapadi and exclusive toilets stocked with feminine hygiene products were created for adolescent girls <ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-10-08 |title=Attappady's hygiene initiative gets nationwide attention |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/attappadys-hygiene-initiative-gets-nationwide-attention/article19824017.ece |access-date=2023-07-11 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> ''Santhi Gramam'' also invested in low-cost, sustainable and climate-responsive housing solutions,<ref>{{Cite web |title=This model house at Attappady was built within 10 days on a budget of Rs 5 lakh |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/lifestyle/decor/2019/02/23/this-model-house-attapadi-built-10-days-budget-5-lakh-uma-preman.html |access-date=2021-05-02 |website=OnManorama}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Social activist comes up with prefab houses for the flood-hit |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/lifestyle/decor/2018/09/29/social-activist-comes-up-with-prefab-houses-for-the-flood-hit.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=OnManorama}}</ref> which were applied in the rapid construction of 51 anganwadis (rural child care center) in Arunachal Pradesh in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title='വെളിച്ചം പോലുമില്ലാത്ത നാട്ടിൽ അക്ഷരവെളിച്ചമായി 51 അംഗൻവാടികൾ': നന്മയുടെ കരംനീട്ടി ഉമ പ്രേമൻ {{!}} uma preman anganwadi projects {{!}} arunachal pradesh anganwadi project |url=https://m.vanitha.in/justin/uma-preman-arunachal-pradesh-anganwadi-project.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=vanitha.in }}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Venugopalan |first=Malavika |date=2021-08-20 |title=A Woman of Endearment – Uma Preman |url=https://fwdlife.in/a-woman-of-endearment-uma-preman |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=FWD Life {{!}} The Premium Lifestyle Magazine {{!}} |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== APJ Abdul Kalam International Residential Tribal School === In 2017, Uma founded APJ Abdul Kalam International Residential Tribal School in Attapadi to provide primary education in the local tribal languages to improve student enrollment and retention in the tribal communities.<ref>{{Cite web |title='മനസ്സിനെ ഉലച്ചു കളഞ്ഞു ആ കുട്ടിയുടെ വാക്കുകൾ. അതിനുള്ള മറുപടി, എപിജെ അബ്ദുൾ കലാം ആദിവാസി റസിഡന്ഷ്യൽ സ്കൂൾ'; ഉമ പ്രേമൻ {{!}} uma preman interview {{!}} 2015 vanitha woman of the year {{!}} women's day feature {{!}} apj abdul kalam tribal residential school {{!}} vanitha |url=https://m.vanitha.in/specials/women-deserve-dignity/interview-2015-vanitha-woman-of-the-year-apj-abdulkalam-tribal-residential-school-attappadi-womens-day-feature-vanitha.html |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=vanitha.in }}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ezhutchan |first=Ramesh |title=രാജ്യാന്തര നിലവാരത്തിലുള്ള സ്കൂൾ; ഫീസായി ഒരു രൂപ പോലും വേണ്ട! |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/education/education-news/2019/10/06/apj-abdul-kalam-residential-school-attappady.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=ManoramaOnline |language=ml}}</ref> In 2021, Uma helped launch a local television channel in Attapadi to broadcast educational content to the students in their native languages and deliver daily news to the locals.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kerala's Attappadi tribal students to attend online classes in their own Irula language |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2021/oct/04/keralas-attappadi-tribal-students-to-attend-online-classes-in-their-own-irula-language-2367210.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=The New Indian Express|date=4 October 2021 }}</ref>
== Recognition and reception == Uma Preman received over 150 awards,<ref name=":2" /> including the ''Woman Icon Award'' 2018, ''Vanitha Woman of the Year'' 2015<ref>{{Cite web |title=ഉമിത്തീയില് ഈ ചിരി വിരിഞ്ഞു; 'വനിത വുമണ് ഓഫ് ദി ഇയര് 2015' ഉമ പ്രേമന്റെ കഥ {{!}} Uma Preman {{!}} Vanitha Women of the year 2015 |url=https://www.vanitha.in/specials/womens-day-special/vanitha-woman-of-the-year-2015-uma-preman-story.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=vanitha.in}}</ref> and ''CNN-IBN Real Heroes (Health and Disability'') 2010.<ref>{{Citation|title=Uma Preman-'CNN-IBN Real Heroes Awards 2010'| date=24 April 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CV3iGa_hig|language=en|access-date=2021-12-28}}</ref>
The 2015 Malayalam-language biographical novel ''Nilachoru'' written by Shabu Kilithattil is inspired by Uma Preman's life.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-11-17 |title=Biographical novel on organ donor set for release |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/biographical-novel-on-organ-donor-set-for-release/article7890373.ece |access-date=2023-07-11 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The same novel has been translated into Tamil as "Kadhai Ketkum Suvargal" by K.V.Shailaja of Vamsi Publications.<ref>{{Citation |url= https://www.tamilonline.com/thendral/article.aspx?aid=12639 | title=Tamilonline - Thendral Tamil Magazine - எழுத்தாளர் - கே.வி.ஷைலஜா }}</ref> In 2020, Tamil director Vigneswaran Vijayan (Vicky) announced a bilingual (Tamil and Malayalam) biographical film on her life.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-12-04 |title=Biopic of Uma Preman to be directed by Vigneswaran Vijayan |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/biopic-of-uma-preman-to-be-directed-by-vigneswaran-vijayan/articleshow/79553760.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-07-11 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
== See also ==
* Davis Chiramel * Kochouseph Chittilappilly
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Preman, Uma}} Category:Living people Category:People from Coimbatore Category:1970 births Category:21st-century Indian women Category:Indian social workers Category:Malayali people