89th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS NEWS FROM PARTHI
Om Sairam dearest Sai Family
Puttaparthi is buzzing with so many activities and thousands of people flooding to this place. The ashram management is trying its best to provide all the basic necessities along with the local muncipal officials.
The 89th birthday celebrations started off in a grand way in a jam packed ashram which also had the balconies of East Prasanthi full to the brim as devotees from all over world came to Prasanthi to pay their salutations to the Divine Master.
The main programme in the morning was the handing over ceremony of Sri Sathya Sai Drinking water project to the government of Andhra Pradesh. Representing the government, Mr.Chinna Rajappa, the deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh was present in the Sai Kulwanth Hall. Initially it was the chief minister Sri.Chandra babu naidu who was supposed to be present but he had to cancel his programme at the last moment as he had to go to Japan on an official visit.
The Sri Sathya Sai Water Project with an estimated budget of 80 crores is a continuation of the previous water project set up by Swami. This water project covers 120 villages in the mandals of Kothacheruvu, Bukkapatnam and Puttaparthi. To be precise it covers an area of 30 square kilomenters with Puttaparthi as center. The water project was a very challenging one especially so because of the absence of Swami's physical presence. To monitor such a huge project on a human level needs lots of patience, dedication and precise, spot on decision making.
It is absolutely Swami's grace that the Trustees with the help of Swami's favourite company Larsen and Tubro (L&T) that this project had a grand finish. It is now up to the government to run it in accordance with Swami's standards where the responsibility also lies in the public as well.
Speaking on this ocassion, after the inaugaration, Sri.Chinna Rajappa appreciated the great work done by Swami in imparting highest knowledge through His schools, by providing the best state of art medical care to every one through the hospitals. He said it is only His grace that a drought hit district like Anantapur has less scarcity of water.
He also appreciated the good work done by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and extended all the support to the trust in the future.
Later Sri.Srinivasan, the All India President of Sri Sathya Sai Organisation and member of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust highlighted the contents of the Annual Report for the financial year 2013-2014. He also appreciated the great association of L & T company which was instrumental in building all of Swami's projects for over 3 decades now. He said when L & T came to Swami to take up the water project, they had no experience in building water projects any where. It was Swami's guidance and superb technical support that made this company now a pioneer in buildings and taking up big projects. Mr.Srinivasan said that L & T had a turn over of just 3000 crores when they first came to Swami and after taking up the divine projects of Bhagawan Baba, apart from being a top most company, L & T now has a turnover of 300000 crores which speaks the kind of blessings any one would get by doing His work in which ever small way one could do.
Later the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust felicitated Mr.Ashok Kumar, strategic head of L & T, Sri. Ram Sethu Head of Business Unit, Mr. Hari Krishna and Sri.Kondal Rao for their dedicated service in the current water project. Sri.Kondal Rao needs a special mention here as he was the Engineer who was blessed to do all of Swami's water projects including the one in Chennai and even at this ripe age, he extended all the technical expertise in completion of the current project. Mr.Srinivasan also remembered the services of Late Sri.Ramakrishna who was a key man in L & T and was very actively participating in Swami's work.
Sri.Srinivasan also highlighted the great work done by Swami's hospitals by getting equipped with the state of art facilities in all the hospitals. I was surprised to know that the little hospital in Puttaparthi, The Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital has 30,000 patients every month which is a stupendous thing. At this juncture i remembered Swami's humorous statement yet a profound one referring to the Sai Hospitals He once said, " Ours is the only private hospital without a cash counter." Very very true indeed even to this day...
Mr.Srinivasan also highlighted the great work done by the Sri Sathya Sai Organisations who even organised Medical camps in the heart of Kashmir valley and also in Jammu state. There were few representatives from Kashmir who had specially come to take Swami's blessings and thank Him. As they stood up, Sri.Srinivasan introduced them to the august gathering.
He also thanked Mr.Sashidhar Prasad, the vice-chancellor who just finished his tenure yesterday (November 22, 2014) for his services and requested him to continue his services like other former vice-chancellors of Sri Sathya Sai University. He welcomed the New Vice-Chancellor Mr. K.V.R. Verma a distinguished scientist from Indian Institute of Science (IIS) Bangalore.
EXCELLENT TALK BY THE GOVERNOR OF KARNATAKA, Sri.Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala:
Governor Shri.Vijabhai Rudabhai vala .IMAGE courtesy RADIO SAI
Later it was the turn of His excellency Shri Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, the present governor of neighboring Karnataka state. The 76 years old Governor who hails from Gujarath and a representative of Rajkot constituency, spoke in a fluent Hindi mixed with the typical Gujarati accent got a huge round of applause from the crowd for the humor that he added especially when he was narrating the interview experience he had with Swami some 12 years ago.
He appreciated the good work done by Swami and said every one that comes with a body have to leave one day or other and what remains and is remembered about a person is only the good work that is done by him or her. Speaking on Swami he said, if Sai Baba had just done meditation, some rituals and penance He wouldn't have been remembered by so many people. He showed the humanity how one can live for eternity and beyond and that is Service. The governor made the youth say loudly that they will make a resolution to do Swami's work. When the response was poor from the audience, he asked the audience to say it again loudly and this time there was a thumping response from the audience.
I didn't know that he had darshan of Swami before until he narrated the meeting in the very same Sai Kulwanth hall some 12 years ago. Remembering that day he said, Swami came to him and asked did you come with family or alone and he said alone. Swami then called him in. In the interview room there were already some families waiting for Swami.
With utmost innocence and bit of humour the governor enacted how Swami took out 5 rings and chains, ear rings to the devotees in the interview room. He said, only God can do that and he was a witness for one such divine materialisation.
Out of the 30 minutes of stay in the interview room the governor remembered Swami speaking to him for 17 minutes. Swami asked him, " Are you a minister? how is your government?" the reply was excellent Swami. Then Swami replied, "Be careful". Now it was the turn of the audience to burst into laughter when he said in no time our government fell apart.
Swami then asked him about his wife. Apparently the governor didn't think that Swami would know about his wife's sickness. Governor politely replied, Now she is fine Swami! to which Swami said "be careful". In two years time she died. Only because of divine power He knew of my government and my wife.
Today i inaugarate the account book, but Sai was more on accountability and what is to be done to the society. He got a huge round of applause when he said , "Its been 67 years for India's independence and that work which the central and state government couldn't do Sathya Sai Baba has done"
His talk that was delivered in Hindi was so inspiring that i thought of adding subtitles and share the joy of understanding this 10 minute video. This video which is subtitled in English can be watched here
EVENING PROGRAMME:
It was sight for the Gods when the Golden Chariot which was used by Swami on rarest ocassions was taken out and taken around the path of Nagar sankeertan around 4 PM. Every one present there enjoyed this beautiful " MINI" Rath Yatra.
Later it was the turn of listening, watching the legend of legends of Karnatic Music, Sri.Mangalam Palli Balamurali Krishna. 84 years young Sri.Balamurali Krishna did a fantastic job by rendering some beautiful Tygaraja keertans and even though i don't know ABCD of music, i enjoyed it thoroughly and one would only imagine how the professional musicians, music students would have felt listening to him. Due to his age, he has almost stopped his performances but today he was excellent showing no trace of
33RD CONOVOCATION OF SWAMI'S UNVERSITY:
NOV: 22, 2014
The 33rd convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Insititute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) was a grand one with all the Trustees, faculty members, students participating in the same manner in which it used to be during the days of Swami's physical presence.
No matter what, the children especially those who took medals and Phds would have thought how nice it would be if Swami was present (physically) but our Lord is all pervasive and omnipresent.
The vice-chancellor Mr.Sashidhar Prasad spoke in length on the facilities provided to the students, the teacher-student ratio, students-computer ratio which is higher than the required standards. He said the students represented 25 states of India and the number of PHd students has also increased.
Later the Chancellor of SSSIHL, Justice Venkatachallaiah spoke in length on the greatness of SSSIHL and the value based education of Swami's institutions.
The chief guest of this year's convocation Mr. Kasturi Rangan, who is an eminent Space scientist and headed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), gave a balanced and most comprehensive talk to address both the devotees and student community. His talk was more student centric where he lauded the Indian economy, the rise in GDP and opined that India will be the super power in a decade's times with developments in key areas like science, technology, agriculture, education and health.
He asked the students to sow the seeds of path breaking industries and gave the examples of Indians who are on the top most positions of reputed organisations like Sathya Nadella in Microsoft who hails from Andhra Pradesh.
He asked the students to follow the great masters but prefet to take the road which is less traveled to make a difference in the society and for being a student of such a prestigious university.
Later a beautiful divine discourse was played on the big screen. Looking at Swami's big crown of hair i guess it was some where in the year 2005 or 2004. He was praising His students. "Sai Students are very rare. People feel very happy just to see them. I expect all the students to go out and educate every one. Presidents, prime ministers and many ministers come and appreciate our students".
Even though every devotee is a student of Bhagawan's divine university, the responsibility on the "actual" students who studied in the divine portals of Sri Sathya Sai University is much higher. You (students) are looked upto with highest regards among your relatives, among you colleagues, among the Sai center members in which ever country you are staying. It is a great responsibility to uphold that good name and this divine discourse was a perfect reminder to every student not to deter from Sai Path and a serious introspection to be made on the current paths some have chosen.
With Swami's immense grace and blessings, every one who visited Prasanthi would have felt very happy and blissful for being blessed with a visit to Prasanthi. There was joy all over. Many devotees and shop keepers provided free food, drinks, water to the thousands who visited Prasanthi on this auspicious day. The Ashram also had a huge feeding camp in the ashram behind the North blocks..
It was a very happy and spiritually energizing happening and a rare boon for the Man kind.. May Swami bless us to be His chosen and choicest instruments. Let us not run here and there, to this person and that person hoping to get SOMETHING leaving our Lord who is EVERYTHING and can give us ANYTHING
With Pranams at the Lotus feet of our beloved Lord,
R.Satish Naik
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