German Padma Shri Awardee Known For Her Cow Protection Work Finally Gets Extended Stay In India

Friederike Irina Bruening, a German national who has devoted her life to sick and abandoned cows in Mathura, is being allowed to stay in India, after the government intervention, reports Economic Times.

"Currently we have around 1,800 cows, Between five and 15 are brought in every day," said Bruening, 61, who threatened to return the Padma Shri award she won for cow protection if she’s not given an extension on her visa.

This made Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj take to Twitter and clarify that she had only asked for a report. And on Monday, Bruening said she was issued with a new visa. Bruening, a follower of Hinduism, is known as Sudevi Dasi.

Bruening came to India 25 years ago and is spending around 200,000 euros of her own money on the cow shelter which costs around $45,000 per month to run. Many of those cows that arrive at the shelter are blind or have been injured in road accidents, while others are sick from eating vast amounts of plastic waste.