Cyclone Dana: Woman carries elderly villager on her shoulders to safety. Viral video

Cyclone Dana: A video of an Asha worker carrying an elderly woman in Odisha has won people’s hearts.

People often display extraordinary acts of bravery in the face of peril. When confronted with natural calamities or dangerous situations, they step up with their acts of courage and selflessness. One such instance was captured on camera. It shows a woman walking on a muddy path with an elderly villager on her back. They are seen going towards a cyclone shelter ahead of Cyclone Dana, which made landfall in Odisha on Thursday.

Cyclone Dana: The image shows an Asha worker carrying a woman on her shoulders. (X/@PIBBhubaneswar)

“Hats off to our #Narishakti! ASHA worker Sibani Mandal from Khasmunda village of Rajnagar Block in #Kendrapara,#Odisha evacuated an elderly woman, carrying on her shoulder to a #Cyclone shelter,” PIB in Odisha shared on its official X page along with a video.

Who are Asha workers?

Accredited Social Health Activist or Asha workers are trained female community health activists who “work as an interface between the community and the public health system.” In 2022, at the 75th World Health Assembly, India’s ASHA workers were among the WHO Director-General’s Global Health Leaders Award recipients. The acronym Asha also means “Hope” in Hindi.

“ASHAs support maternal care and immunisation for children against vaccine-preventable diseases; tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, communicable disease prevention and control; and core areas of health promotion for nutrition, sanitation, and healthy living,” WHO wrote in an article on the activists.

Take a look at the woman's act here:

What did social media say?

Expectedly, the footage left people with a warm feeling in their hearts. Many urged the authorities to reward her for her gesture. One individual wrote, “She must be recognised and rewarded.” Another added, “Salute to her.” Others expressed this emotion, too.

A third expressed, “She is the right example of an empowered woman.” A few also reacted using clapping or folded-hand emoticons. The video has been reshared across other social media platforms.